


The Definition of One's Own Worth

by spacedaydreamer



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords
Genre: (hey that rhymed), Alternate Universe - Steampunk, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Drama, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Green; red; vio; and blue are quadruplets, Rated T mostly for swearing, Rebellion, Vaati and Octavo are twins, steampunk au with some magic in it too, there is some violence later on but it's not heavily descriptive, there's implied shadow/vio and zelda/green but not a focus so not putting it in the ship tags, zelda's leading a rebellion because she's the only one with a brain cell here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-24
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-07-17 23:06:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 26,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19964722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacedaydreamer/pseuds/spacedaydreamer
Summary: In the Kingdom of Hyrule, civil unrest was growing. The people were dissatisfied, and there was word of rebellion on the wind... in the midst of it all was the royal inventor, supposedly content to just watch as everything began to unravel. After all, none would be surprised to find that Vaati was a rather cold, callous man... But as even his own family began to get involved, not even he could stay as apathetic as he desired.His only desire was to become the greatest inventor the kingdom had ever known, but... who would be the side to lead him there? His king, or the rebellion?





	1. Like Clockwork

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Thank you for taking the time to check out this fic! Just a quick thank you and foreword before we begin, a huge shoutout to luckystarman here on AO3 for helping me shop this AU!! We did a lot of talking about it and plotted a ton of things that eventually ended up in this fic, it likely would never have happened without her. As well, a shoutout to all of my friends who listen to me ramble endlessly about Vaati- I love him so much. I can't stop writing him. So I need to put that to good use, apparently.
> 
> And for fun, here's a little drawing of steampunk!Vaati that I did before writing up this fic.  
> https://ombraventi.tumblr.com/post/186157588328/youre-a-mad-bastard-you-know-that-please-i
> 
> Thank you for your time! I hope that you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

_60…_

_59…_

_58…_

_57…_

Vaati sat in his laboratory, deep in focus. He was working on fixing something at the moment- old bits of clockwork that’d broken down from around the palace. It was some of the less glamorous work in his job, but it was still incredibly important. And honestly, on a day like today, it was about all he felt he should _bother_ with doing.

_45…_

_44…_

_43…_

_42…_

There was no glass in the windows to his lab- he could easily keep the weather out with his wind magic, and he hated how restricting it felt when in enclosed rooms. It’d been one of his demands upon agreeing to work here, strange as it’d seemed. Of course, the king hadn’t minded such a strange request. He had no reason to complain, of _course_ a genius would be strange. That’s what people expected of geniuses.

_26…_

_25…_

_24…_

_23…_

_22…_

While he worked, his ears were open to the sounds of the castle town beyond his window. There was a distant hum of people that carried to him, which he listened to with mild disinterest. He could try to listen in harder if he chose, but he didn’t feel like wasting his concentration on something so pointless.

_10…_

_9…_

_8…_

One ear flicked as he noticed a change- the sounds of confusion carried to him from one of the market streets, along with the screech of metal.

_7…_

_6…_

_5…_

There was a dull crash as a squadron of machines made of metal and magic and steam suddenly stopped in their tracks, and the sounds of confusion only grew louder. Carefully, Vaati listened in more, willing the wind to carry the sounds to him. Of course, his focus never truly left his _work_ \- it was more important to him.

_4…_

_3…_

_2…_

_1……_

_BOOM!_

A sudden explosion echoed through the town, making the inventor cover his ears with a wince. The sounds from the marketplace were chaotic now, screaming as the remaining automata began to go haywire. The noise only grew louder as fighting began to break out, and at that point Vaati stopped listening in.

Now, he had more _important_ things to worry about- namely, the man who was certain to enter his laboratory momentarily.

_“Vaati!”_

Right on cue, the king burst into Vaati’s lab without so much as a knock. He just sighed softly- how frustrating. Even if Ganondorf was the king, he could still have _manners._ (Not that he’d appreciate the knocking, either. Really, there was no way to win.)

“Yes, your majesty?”

“Your machines, the automata- _they’re broken._ ”

“Then return them here, and I’ll fix them.”

“Not just _busted_ , you damned fool- they went _haywire! They malfunctioned completely!_ ”

“Nonsense. My machines are perfect, they don’t just malfunction.”

“Oh yes? Then what do you wish to call what happened today?”

“What happened?” The inventor feigned innocence, as though he hadn’t been listening in. He preferred to not let too far into what his magic could do- it wasn’t like it was any of the king’s business, anyways. He didn’t eavesdrop on the man, so it didn’t matter. “What are you talking about, your majesty?”

“Your stupid machines- one of them detonated completely, and the others went mad and started attacking people. And worst of all- _those damned rebels stopped the things first!_ ”

“Oh my. Quite unfortunate.”

“This is all _your damned fault-_ “

“As I said, your majesty. _My machines do not malfunction_.” Vaati stood from his seat, finally setting down his tools. “Bring me what can be salvaged of them. I’m certain they were tampered with- it would seem the rebellion is smarter than they appear. They must’ve been capable of figuring out how to corrupt the power crystals used to control their circuitry.”

“Tch. Nothing ever bothers you, does it?” The king spun on his heel, clearly in no mood to deal with Vaati. Which he had no issue with- he didn’t much care for people. “I’ll have them brought to you. And you’d better show me exactly what you mean, or it’s your head on a platter.”

“Of course, your majesty.”

Vaati sat down at his work table once he was finally alone again, picking up exactly where he’d left off on his work. It was easy to get into the flow of things, his hands knowing the motions needed to fix the little machines so instinctively that his brain hardly needed to focus at all.

Today’s _mishap_ , if it could be called as such, was not a surprise to Vaati. After all, _his machines never malfunctioned_ \- everything that’d happened had been planned. The explosion, the tampering, all of it had been orchestrated by he himself.

Well, to call it _tampering_ was a bit generous to the rebels. Rather, the machines had been designed to be defective- to set off at a specific point, switching work frequencies. However, said defect would have the same resulting effect to the power crystals as the automata being hijacked by the rebels, so it was good enough for Vaati.

Perhaps it didn’t make sense for Vaati to be sabotaging his own work- one could certainly _think_ as such. There was a simple explanation to why he did what he did, though: _he dealt with both sides._

To the rebels, he was a mysterious benefactor. Someone who’d supply them with experimental weapons and gear, various things he’d created. To the kingdom, he supplied machines of war and various trinkets that could be used to make the privileged elite’s lives better. He truly couldn’t care less which side would win the current conflict, he merely had one wish; to prove his inventions’ worth. To prove that he was the greatest inventor to have ever lived.

So to that degree, playing both sides was actually quite effective- and Vaati didn’t mind the danger.

It took an hour for the automata to be brought up to his workshop, the inventor sighing as he directed the guards where to set them.

_“Gently_ , you _fools_.” His glare was cold- even if he’d sacrificed them purposefully to test the weapons he’d developed for the rebels, he didn’t want them getting _further_ damaged. Not by a group of idiot guards who had no idea what they were doing, at least. “Set them there, and then leave.”

No goodbyes were offered, and it was clear none were expected. Everyone in the palace knew about how standoffish and unpleasant the royal inventor was, so most tried to avoid him. Which was how Vaati liked it, because that gave him more time to himself.

It took him only a few minutes to extract the crystals that powered each of the automata, inspecting them carefully. They’d each sustained rather hefty damage from the forced frequency switch, the magic hanging from them chaotic and dissonant. It was what he’d expected, and he was quick to summon the king.

“Well? Make it quick, or it’s execution time.”

“As I said, your majesty. Tampering.” He held up one of the crystals to Ganondorf with a gloved hand, even that not being enough to prevent how the magic sparked chaotically. “It’s completely dissonant now, entirely out of frequency with my own magics. They must have hijacked it to orchestrate their own victory.”

The king frowned, turning away.

“Should we mention this to the public?”

“Absolutely not.” The king’s voice was firm. “The less they know about the rebellion, the better. If they believe those rats strong enough to deal with our weapons, then they may grow overconfident.”

“Fair enough.”

“Now, I expect your _next_ creations to be _tamper-proof_. Do I make myself clear?”

“Of course, your majesty. This will not happen again.”

“Good.”

Room quiet once more, Vaati went back to work. He had much to do, and so little time- he’d have to spend yet another all-nighter, it would seem. Not that he minded much, working was a far better use of his time than _sleeping_.


	2. Decision

In his room, Octavo found himself pacing. The bard was not usually so quiet, but much was on his mind- he had a _big_ decision coming up. Something big enough that his life was literally on the line, and it should’ve been such an _obvious_ no… but he couldn’t just say no to it.

On the one hand, Octavo wanted to call himself loyal. He’d spent so many years of his life fighting for recognition, fighting to prove himself as a bard- he had _earned_ his place in this court. He had proven himself time and again as a master of music, even capable of magic with it. He took pride in what he’d done, and in the times he’d managed to earn the king’s praise.

However, things weren’t the same as they’d been some years ago.

Whatever the reason, things had only gotten more and more drab for the bard. He may has well have been a laughing stock of the court. He _knew_ that nobody took him seriously any longer... he was a joke, a fool. He’d likely be more appreciated as a _jester_ than a _bard_ , at this point! At least then, the laughter would be _intended._

So, that had started driving Octavo’s thoughts elsewhere. He’d heard about the rebellion by complete accident, walking past two of the royal guardsmen in conversation. They’d brought up the rebel group, _Triforce..._ it had gotten Octavo’s interest, and made certain things… make a lot of _sense_.

He’d known that people were no longer happy with king Ganondorf’s rule, but to hear about an entire rebellion… it _was_ tempting. Quite tempting. He wanted to be taken _seriously_ , to have _respect_. He wasn’t a goddess-damned _joke_ , and he’d _prove_ it.

However, if he was discovered? He’d be executed without question. And Octavo wasn’t certain if he was quite willing to risk his head like that…

Besides, was a rebellion truly needed? Were things truly _that_ bad? That’s what he’d been spending so much time trying to decide. It’d been on his mind all day, and only gotten more intense after the chaos in the marketplace today.

Sighing, Octavo eventually just pulled on his cloak and headed out of the palace. He’d do much better if he could just _see for himself_ , so the bard found himself wandering. The streets were crowded and tense, he could read it in the air. People’s voices were hushed, their eyes darted about- everyone was unsettled. He supposed that made sense, given the day’s events… but it was still unsettling.

Head down, he made his way to the site of the explosion. Looking about, it put a pit in his stomach- the royal guard was nowhere to be seen. There was nobody around but the common folk, doing their best to deal with the wreckage.

_Perhaps they’re too busy trying to find the rebels_ , Octavo thought to himself. He knew it was just gentle words, just things to help himself ignore reality… but still, they came on instinct. It was hard to accept that you were part of the problem, after all.

He spent the better part of the day out there, walking about, watching the people. By the end of the day, Octavo had returned with his mind made up.

For better or worse, he would join the rebellion.

* * *

It had taken much doing for Octavo to figure out where to go- he’d done his best to hide his face and had taken immense precaution in his actions, attempting to find where the rebellion met. It made sense that it wouldn’t be _easy_ to find, but after enough searching, he’d found them.

The people in front of him when he’d entered were all wearing masks- another precaution that made sense, he supposed. You couldn’t trust anyone, not when the king had eyes everywhere… the magitechnology that the crown employed could be terrifying, in all honesty. It unsettled Octavo on occasion, although he’d never let on to that fact.

“So, you’re _interested?_ ” Of the five people in front of him, it was the one with a green mask who spoke up first. “Take off that hood, first.”

Octavo nodded- he removed his hood, not flinching at the sudden argument that burst out the second his face was visible. In particular, the blue mask was the loudest- Octavo found him _incredibly_ unpleasant, although he didn’t mention it. He’d rather not get killed for showing his face here.

“He’s part of Ganondorf’s court!”

“That face is a pretty blatant giveaway, yes.”

“I say we just kill him now, he’s _definitely_ not trustworthy.”

Yep, the blue one was _really_ Octavo’s least favourite. It was after a few moments that a woman’s voice spoke up- the only masked figure who hadn’t taken part in the argument, and a voice who clearly had authority in the group.

“Why don’t we give him a chance to explain himself first?”

“But, Z- are you _sure?_ ”

“I’m curious why anyone who’s part of _his_ court would wish to meet with us. Especially someone in such high standing.”

Octavo couldn’t suppress a dry laugh at that- it earned all of their attention, which immediately made him regret the sound.

“I would hardly call my standing _good_. You’re mistaking me for my brother.”

“Would the twin brother of the king’s inventor not be in good standing as well?”

“I earned my own place separate of my brother’s work. He’s not a terribly… _warm_ person, so he didn’t do me any favours.” Octavo shrugged, dismissive. He briefly wondered how Vaati would react, if he knew about what was happening… but knowing his brother, he wouldn’t care. “Nobody cares for music. I’m just a bard, and I don’t think they want what I have to offer anymore.”

Octavo paused, silent for a while.

“Besides… I saw what happened today. I went out to look, and… the kingdom isn’t helping its people. I can’t be happy with my station in life so long as things are like that.”

There was a long silence, before the woman- _Z_ \- started a hushed discussion with the four boys. It went on for a very long time, long enough to make Octavo start to sweat, until finally the conversation broke up.

There was another long silence, as though Z was carefully thinking about her words… just as Octavo was about to speak up, she finally spoke.

“You’re welcome to help, if you believe yourself capable. We look forwards to what you can bring.”


	3. Changing Plans

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

Vaati’s brow furrowed as he was pulled from his concentration by a knock at his door, trying his best to ignore it and go back to his work. He didn’t much care for interruptions- it was probably just some poor guard who hadn’t gotten the memo yet. He knew it couldn’t be Ganondorf, the king would’ve just burst in.

_Knock knock knock knock knock._

An eyebrow twitched as the knocking began to pick up in tempo, pulling Vaati even further out of his concentration. _Go away_ , he found himself thinking- he wished he could simply will them away, for his thoughts to be enough for whoever this was to _leave,_ but clearly they weren’t.

_Knockknockknockknockknockknock-_

“ _Just come in! STOP with that horrid KNOCKING!_ ” He slammed his tools down onto his desk in a huff, standing from his desk and giving his hardest glare to whichever fool decided to poke their head through his door. Rather than some poor guard or maid though, it was his brother- earning a groan from Vaati, he waved Octavo into his workshop. “What do you want, Octavo?”

“Listen, brother- this is… important. Really, uh- well… it’s big. Okay?”

“ _Get to the point_.”

“I, um… I joined the rebellion.” For a moment, there was silence. Vaati just stared blankly- he had no real clue why Octavo wished to tell him this, it wasn’t like it was _his_ business. “Look, I know I shouldn’t be telling you, but I just- uh… well… maybe… maybe it would be something you’d like?”

“If you know you shouldn’t be telling me, then why _are_ you?”

“Because— well, uh… I guess I’m just kinda _hoping_ you won’t sell me out?”

“I have no interest in doing that, it would be too much of a bother.”

“Oh.” A long and awkward pause, that Vaati really didn’t care much for. “So, um… also… I thought it might _interest_ you? Considering you like to make things…”

“I don’t need your suggestions, brother. I’m fully aware of their capabilities and requirements.”

“H-huh?”

“However, I do not deal with people such as _them_ , do you understand?” The meaning behind his words was simple- he made things for them, but it was not knowledge that _anyone_ was privy to. Not even the rebels knew that it was _him_ , he had made _quite_ certain of that. “Was that all you wanted—”

Vaati was cut off as Octavo ran forwards, slamming his hands onto Vaati’s desk.

“Are you _kidding_ me?!”

“No, why would I be doing that?”

“Then- then why did they think you were so _loyal_ -“

“Make no mistake, brother. I’m not loyal to anyone. It’s simply in my own best interests to ensure Ganondorf believes my loyalty.” He could see Octavo blink, and Vaati only sighed. “I serve my own goals, ensuring that my inventions are seen and used by the people who will gain me the most recognition. It’s pure chance that there’s two parties who appear to be equally worthy of my attention at the moment, that’s all.”

“Oh…. Right. Of course.” Octavo let out a tired sigh, rolling his eyes. “I don’t know why I expected much else from you.”

“Have I at least alleviated your worries that I’ll _sell you out_ , or whatever it was that you’re so foolishly worried about?”

“Well, _yes_ , although you could be a little nicer about it.”

“I see no point in softening my words.”

“Of course you don’t.”

Octavo sighed, yet again. He was turning to leave, when Vaati spoke up- his eyes never left his work, but he didn’t need to see his brother to speak.

“By the way, Octavo. This conversation did not happen.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.”

“If you attempt to bring this topic up again, I will not respond. Nor will I offer aid should you get caught.”

“I _know_.” And Octavo did sound as if he’d expected as much, which made Vaati briefly wonder if he was predictable. It didn’t matter though, really. “Hey… by the way, Vaati. Have you been sleeping?”

“I’ve been working.”

“So no.”

“Sleep is less important.”

“You can’t work if you get sick and die.”

“Don’t be stupid, that won’t happen to me.”

“Only an idiot thinks he can’t get sick.”

Vaati just grimaced- after a few seconds he stood up, and began pushing Octavo out of his workshop.

“ _Thank you_ for the visit, _dear brother_. That will be enough from you, it’s time for you to _leave._ ”

“ _Vivi,_ you can’t just ignore me!”

“I think that I can.”

“You need _sleep_ , you _idiot—!”_

“Goodbye. Talk to you later, brother.”

With one final shove he managed to get Octavo out of the door, leaning against it with a sigh.

In all honesty, Vaati would often find himself wondering how they were twins. They were nothing alike, not in any conceivable way. He was calm and clever and perhaps just a touch cold, whereas Octavo was brash and stubborn and sociable enough to actually enjoy being a bard. Something that had to deal with that much human interaction sounded _horrid_ to Vaati, but it seemed to energize Octavo- extroverts versus introverts, perhaps.

Perhaps the only thing they held in common was their horrid stubbornness, which was currently coming into play- Octavo was knocking at the door yet again, and Vaati continued to lean against it to keep his brother _out_.

_“_ Vivi, _let me in!_ You need to _**sleep!** ”_

_“_ I’ll sleep when I’m _dead,_ brother!”

_“Exactly my fucking point!”_

Vaati just rolled his eyes- honestly, Octavo was _so_ dramatic sometimes. Certainly nothing like _he_ was, _he_ wasn’t the one making a scene here!

“Go _away_ , Octavo.”

He was in the midst of attempting to lock his door, when his brother managed to push it back open. That was enough to get him to stumble- which meant Octavo pushed his full way back inside of the workshop.

“Alright, now. Time for sleep.”

“Fuck you.”

“You keep a bed in here, don’t you? Just use that.”

“ _I have things to work on._ ”

“Not right now.”

After a good solid ten minutes more of the same general argument, Vaati found himself getting pushed down onto the cot he kept within his workshop. He preferred sleeping here than in his room- it meant less travel time when he woke up, in the times he actually _did_ sleep.

Octavo had only left once Vaati was lying down, and he really didn’t feel like arguing his brother at the moment any longer. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. Vaati would _always_ have energy to argue with his brother, but for now? He found that he actually was tired enough to sleep. Perhaps that’s what he got for staying awake for three days in a row, he didn’t have the energy to put up a good enough fight.

His mind was unable to stay focused on his work, so it instead drifted back to what Octavo had come over to talk about in the first place. He hadn’t been surprised, not really. He’d seen how displeased his brother was in the castle in the few times Vaati would actually leave his workshop, it didn’t take a genius (which he certainly was) to wonder if Octavo would start to get pushed away.

Still, it brought forth some degree of complication. Vaati certainly had no desire to really ally himself to either side, he was merely using them both for his own end… but his brother had to go and be a fool, getting himself allied. Cold as he was, Vaati still cared for his only remaining family. If Octavo went and got himself stuck, that would mean he’d have to figure out a way to get him _out_ …

“Stupid ‘Tavo… so stupid.”


	4. To Be a Leader

From her ‘office’ within their headquarters, Zelda sighed. While the rebellion had steadily been gaining support over the past months, they were still dreadfully low on manpower. Enough of their people were working on rebuilding what’d been destroyed in the previous week’s attack that she felt as though they were spread a little thin, even with the new people who’d pledged their support.

And talking about _new members_ … sighing again, Zelda put her head in her hands. She still wasn’t entirely certain what to think about someone from Ganondorf’s court joining the rebellion. On the one hand, it may have meant that the civil unrest was reaching further than they’d originally believed… or, it was a trap. She certainly didn’t _trust_ him- he’d be given very simple tasks for at _least_ a month before she’d even _vaguely_ consider giving him any work of any importance.

Of more concern, honestly, was his _brother_. She didn’t know how close Octavo was to Vaati, and she didn’t know how much he’d share. Despite what Octavo had said, it was well-known that the royal inventor was basically the king’s _lapdog-_ he made whatever the king demanded of him, usually to frightening results.

Yes, the man was honestly just as much of a threat as Ganondorf was, if not _more_. After all, their military power would be far weaker without a man who could produce somewhat terrifying magitechnology whenever he wanted, working tirelessly to create newer and more powerful machines.

None of them really knew much about him, other than he spent most of his time in his workshop, from what informants had said. Nobody around the castle really knew much of him, he’d forbidden basically everyone but the king from entering said shop and he _rarely_ left. Basically the only time he was out in public was when it was required of him, and he never spoke a word.

He was… enigmatic. And _incredibly_ dangerous.

“Hey… Zel?”

“Oh- Green, what is it?”

The woman raised her head when she heard her friend enter the room, putting on a smile.

“We got a new _donation_. Same as usual.”

“Are they safe?”

“Yeah, Vio can’t find anything wrong with them. You, uh… well, you might be interested in what was sent this time, though.”

Nodding, Zelda stood from her desk. It happened once a month- they would receive some mysterious package, each time stuffed with incredibly complex magitechnology. Their masks and voice changers had come from this mysterious benefactor, as had a large number of the tools they used to get work done.

Naturally, they didn’t just _trust_ someone who would send them things without a name or face. They didn’t even know what to call them, other than benefactor. Not even a trace of the person had been seen before, nobody even knew who left the packages for them. They would just _appear_ , clearly sent by magical means… but the magic was impossible to trace, and _trust her_ , they’d tried.

Going to where the others were gathered, Zelda frowned as she looked into the box. There was the usual stuff- a handful of swords, some various tools, and even a few things that looked to be useful for rebuilding. But among them was something strange… there were about two dozen dull blue orbs, very carefully packaged to ensure they couldn’t shift around. One of them was missing- after a moment, she realized it was in Vio’s hand.

“What is that?”

“It’s a remote explosive device.”

“ _What?_ ”

“A bomb.” Vio held up what Zelda assumed to be the remote, a small box-like machine with two buttons on it. “There was a note in this one- the upper button with the ‘x’ is the main control. Hit it once to activate, then a second time to detonate. The lower button with the clock symbol is a timed detonation, press it and then the bomb will go off in exactly one minute.”

“Fascinating…” Zelda hummed, picking up one of the remote bombs herself. There was no branding or unique design about them, nothing that could point to a specific inventor- same as usual. Incredibly generic, but incredibly useful. “We’ll be able to find a use for them, most likely. Perhaps we could take out some of Ganondorf’s weaponry…”

“That’d be the ideal use, yeah. We’ll need to do a bit of testing first, though.”

“Naturally. I’ll trust you with that, Vio.”

She laid a hand on his shoulder for just a moment, before returning back to her office space. There was so much to think about, so much to plan for, so much to _do_ \- the day felt busy, and it would only get busier.

* * *

Time passed, and most of their group had gathered for a meeting. There were a lot of new members, so it was more of an introduction- among them to the back was Octavo, although he’d smartly decided to cover his hair in a hat. There wasn’t really a _ton_ he could do to disguise himself, he was still earning glances and glares from behind his hat, but Zelda just hoped that his presence wouldn’t cause too much tension.

“Welcome. You’re all here for a reason- because you’ve seen what’s happened to our kingdom over the past five years, and are angry about it.” Green began the usual speech, the oldest of the quadruplets and her closest friends leading the ‘orientation’. “This kingdom is no longer serving its people. The rich and powerful live happy lives away from us, ignoring our suffering- thinking themselves _above_ us. We want to change that- to make a Hyrule where _everyone_ can live happily.”

The talking continued on for a good while, Green introducing his brothers and herself, and talking about what the rebellion did. Above all else, their duty was to help those in need- people who were suffering and alone were always to be helped. Their primary role was to give aid, no matter what.

As things continued though, there was a growing tension in the room. Everyone could feel it, she could see it plain as day- the occasional mutter, the sharp glances, all of them directed back at Octavo. Eventually, it became so thick it was impossible to avoid- and someone spoke up.

“What about _him?_ What is _he_ doing here?!”

Immediately the crowd burst into a chorus of shouts and jeers, all directed at the lilac-haired man. To his credit, if Octavo was anxious he _certainly_ didn’t show it- his face remained calm the entire while.

“If I may?”

His words didn’t seem to quiet anyone- if anything, the crowd only got louder. They ignored him as he held up his lute, looking to Zelda. She nodded, curious… just what was he planning on doing?

The answer was, of course, a song. It wasn’t just any music though, he wasn’t just a regular bard. Immediately that was obvious, the woman could sense the magic in his notes, she could feel it as a calm began to fall over the raging crowd. Whether or not they even realized it, they’d been quelled rather easily, and after a few minutes, the bard began to speak.

“You mistake me for my brother, but I assure you, I am not him. I am but a mere bard, one who’s grown tired of how things are in this land at current.” His fingers never stopped moving, music like a piper’s song keeping the crowd in a trance. “I hold no loyalty to the king, no desire to serve him- I’m not terribly welcome among his courtiers, regardless. I wish only to be heard, and I truly believe my song would serve much better _here_.”

“You are an interesting man, Octavo.” The bard raised an eyebrow when Zelda spoke, as if he hadn’t expected it. Slowly he stopped playing, and she watched as the crowd just looked on in a daze. “I’m certain you expected this- you can _hardly_ believe we would so easily trust you. However, I’m willing to allow you to prove your loyalty. You, just as any other, are allowed a fair chance.”

“Thank you.”

Octavo gave a short bow, and it felt as though that finally broke the spell on the room. There was still muttering, still plenty of distrustful looks shot the bard’s way… but he’d at least shown he wasn’t his _brother_. And in the eyes of the room, that was a good enough start to knock him up _way_ higher than his previous standing.

“Can we please be quiet? We need to continue…”

Red spoke up, earning the crowd’s attention back from the whispers. The rest of the meeting went off relatively smoothly, no more large outbursts. As everything was being wrapped up, Zelda called out to Octavo to meet with him.

“Your magic… can you tell me more about it?”

“It’s the magic of rhythm.” The man smiled, looking about. “Music itself is magical, but when paired with the right instruments and power… it can have great effect. That was just a little bit of crowd management, an important skill for a bard to have.”

“Are you willing to put those skills to use? Even knowing they may make it quite obvious you’ve betrayed the crown?”

“I am.” His eye held a determination to it, something that Zelda could appreciate. “I’m here for the same reason all the others were tonight. This kingdom has changed, it’s no longer the one I remember- and I want to bring it back to the way it was. Back when I could be proud of where I was in life.”

“I see. Thank you, Octavo. That will be all.”

She couldn’t help but smile to herself as the man left, leaving her to her business. Once he proved himself trustworthy, things would get _very_ interesting… she couldn’t help but look forwards to whatever the future held.

Together with her friends, perhaps they really _could_ save Hyrule.


	5. Brothers

“Vaati! Are you in here?”

“Of course, your majesty.” The inventor looked up from his work, greeting the king with his usual neutral face. “Did you need something?”

“Next week is the anniversary of my coronation. You _do_ remember that we’ve been planning a _celebration_ , correct?”

“Naturally.” Naturally he’d _forgotten_ , because he didn’t tend to care about things such as those. “Did you wish for something for it?”

“The new automata- how are they coming along? I expect the rebels to try and _pull_ something, and I refuse to give them any ability to show off their power.”

“Ah, of course. They’re coming along quite well, I expect them to be finished by Friday.”

“Make it sooner. I want more time to test them.”

“Very well.”

Without sleep, he was certain he could finish them by Wednesday. He didn’t really care if he missed out on some sleep, so he was fine with the order- a part of him just hoped that his brother wouldn’t find out. Because without a doubt, Octavo would arrive to make a stink…

“Good. I’ll be expecting them.”

“They shall be perfect, your majesty. As always.”

The king just scoffed and left, and Vaati couldn’t have cared less. Really, if the man wanted to be rude, let him- he was the king, and Vaati was just as rude himself. The only reason he wasn’t dead was because he was useful, he knew that nobody else could get away with how he spoke.

Vaati did find it a little odd that the king was so worried about celebrations such as these, though. He didn’t feel as though the man had _used_ to be so vain- it was odd. He imagined that there had to be a reason, some sort of explanation for the change- but in all honesty, he didn't exactly _care_. At the end of the day, he still had work to do, so it hardly mattered to him whether or not the king had grown more vain in the past few years.

The next day was spent working, and _only_ working- no break for food or rest was made, and if you asked him, none was needed. Once he got focused enough he never felt the hunger anyways, so he was happy to simply carry on as needed.

Late at evening though, he heard a knock. And another. _And another._

“Come _in._ ” Knowing it already to be his brother, Vaati didn’t even bother to look up. Octavo was the only one stupid enough to actually knock at his door, everyone else either ignored him, or was the king and burst in whenever he pleased. “What do you want, Octavo?”

“I heard you’ve been working non-stop. I brought you something.”

Vaati sighed, setting down his tools. In his brother’s hands was a small plate with a bit of food, just various things cut up to be eaten quickly- his brother was clever. An idiot, but clever.

“I’m fine.”

“No you’re not. Hurry up and eat, idiot.”

“Don’t call me an idiot, you _fool_.”

“Oh, real original.” Octavo rolled his eyes, holding the plate out to Vaati. “You need to get new insults, brother. You’re getting stale. Just like this bread will, if you don’t eat it.”

“ _So clever._ ” Vaati groaned a little, finally snatching away the plate with a frown. “Very well. You win this one, brother.”

“I always win.”

“Says _you_.”

“That I do!” Octavo sat himself down on one of the stools in the room, watching as Vaati started picking at the foods on the plate. “You’ve been really busy lately. You holding up okay?”

“Of course I am. I’d never be doing anything less than perfect, naturally.”

“Naturally.” The eye roll was practically audible that time, and Vaati decided to ignore it. “It’s a shame we don’t have time like we did when we were kids.”

“That’s because we’re no longer children. We have jobs to do.”

“You really did change, Vivi.”

“And you did not. Still the same boisterous menace as ever.”

“I’ll _never_ understand how that meek, shy little Vivi turned into _you_ …”

“Oh, stop with your dramatics.” Vaati rolled his eyes, ignoring how Octavo had draped himself across a work bench. “The details of my private life are hardly of interest, regardless. My apprenticeship simply taught me the importance of _focus_ and _drive_.”

“And how to be even more of a stick in the mud, apparently.”

“ _Fun_ isn’t exactly _required_ in my profession. I have fun when I’m inventing.”

“Yeah yeah, I know…” Octavo sighed, and yet again Vaati ignored it. “It was nice talking with you, brother.”

“It was tolerable.”

“Aw, that’s _almost_ honesty!” Vaati let out a hiss as Octavo reached over to pinch at his cheek, his brother jumping away before Vaati could smack his hand. “What a cute younger brother.”

“ _WE’RE TWINS!_ ”

“I was born first, though.”

“I hate you.”

“Love you too, Vivi!”

Octavo closed the door behind him right as Vaati launched the pillow from his cot at him- he could hear his brother’s laughter from behind the door, and it only made Vaati more irritated.

Honestly, how _were_ they brothers? He really couldn’t see any similarities at _all_.


	6. Celebrations

The time had come for the anniversary celebration, Vaati having dreaded the day more than _anything_. He absolutely _loathed_ parties and celebrations and really _anything_ where he had to be around large amounts of people, and unfortunately it was expected that the king’s inventor be present at the king’s celebration. And Vaati was certainly rude, but he wasn’t _stupid_ \- given how the king had changed of late, he likely _would_ be executed if he refused to show.

Dressed up fancier than usual, Vaati found himself lazily looking about the room. Rather than listening, he was using his magic to _stop_ from hearing- there was too much noise in the room, so he’d rather cut down on what he had to take in.

The only ones in his immediate proximity were him, Ganondorf, and the king’s top advisers. Nobody else was really allowed near him, for safety and for the king’s own temper. He was perhaps the only one in the castle who could put Vaati’s own standoffishness to shame, always seeming irritated. It wasn’t uncommon for him to be nursing a headache, which always seemed to make him even _more_ irritated.

“Your automata are working.”

“Naturally, your majesty. I deliver nothing less than perfection, especially for such an important day.”

“Don’t bother with pleasantries, I know that you don’t mean them.”

“Blunt, your majesty. It’s appreciated.”

He’d never been one to mince words, after all. So while he certainly wasn’t going to go about trying to get himself executed, he would always be happy for an excuse to not need to play excessively nice.

“Are you ready for the presentations this afternoon?”

“Yes. It’s a shame it’s such a sunny day outside, it will be dreadfully hot.”

“It’s your own fault for always wearing dark clothing, Vaati.”

“It’s what suits me best, your majesty.”

The king rolled his eyes- Vaati ignored that, choosing to not point out how ill fitting it seemed to be for a king to make such an immature gesture.

“Very well then. Just don’t pass out, I won’t show any sympathy.”

“Of course not.”

And he most certainly wouldn’t be one to pass out- honestly, Ganondorf should’ve had more faith in him than _that._ He dealt with intense heat plenty often when working on inventions, much needed to be done when you had to make almost all of your materials yourself.

His attention turned back to the crowds, watching as people milled about the ballroom. He didn’t really know what to do, so he went to sit down. Without thinking much, he pulled out a notebook. Whenever he wasn’t working, he was still working. He could write out notes and ideas, thoughts about new inventions, whatever that came to mind.

It was enough to keep him distracted- and honestly, it made him far happier than pretending to pay attention. Ganondorf didn’t seem to mind, so long as he was _present_ , and it would benefit the king in the long run.

Currently though, Vaati’s design was for something a little more _personal._ He’d spent a long while perfecting the weapons he sent to the rebellion so that when he made a blade for _himself_ , it would be _perfect_. He was in the midst of figuring out how to make the magitechnology work for it, though… it would be a difficult one, for certain. But because of that, it was far more _enjoyable_.

Indeed, _this_ was Vaati’s fun. Trying to figure out these puzzles, trying to determine the best way to make something functional and aesthetically pleasing, within the size and weight that was required of a proper blade. It was an endless series of calculations that drew his mind in with ease, something he’d loved even when young. It was no wonder he’d been so excited to gain an apprenticeship to a renowned inventor…

With that thought, though, he found himself pulled back out of his concentration. That was enough to put him in a rather foul mood, so he’d honestly rather just stare at a wall than continue on with that train of thought.

* * *

Vaati sat in the courtyard a short way away from the king as the afternoon’s _activities_ began, a series of competitions and other petty sporting events that always bored the inventor half to sleep. Things were quieter now, which was _much_ better- he closed his eyes for just a moment to listen to the wind, opening his senses to his magic to see if anything of note carried to him.

And, after a few moments- _something did_.

He couldn’t make out the words, but there was muttering and whispering, along with the sounds of movement from people attempting to sneak. It was clear enough to him from that who these people were, and what they were doing- the rebellion, moving during broad daylight? And to the _castle_ , no less? Fascinating…

He scanned his eye over to Octavo, curious how his brother was faring. If the bard knew what was happening, he showed no sign of it- he continued to play for the audience that’d surrounded him, soft voice carrying gently above the hum of the crowd. He didn’t bother putting in the mental effort to listen to the words of the song, but it was always nice when he got to listen to his brother play… almost as if they were kids again, he thought to himself.

It wasn’t terribly like him to be nostalgic, though.

Time passed, and there wasn’t anything of note to say that the rebellion had ever even shown up here. He’d figured they wouldn’t attack the crowd, it seemed to go against their creed… but Vaati noticed as a member of the guard approached the king, his face darkening as something was whispered into his ear. It wasn’t enough to stop things, but the foul mood seemed to follow Ganondorf for the rest of the day.

Oh, such a shame. If Vaati had been the sort to care, perhaps he would’ve worried a little more.

As the day came to a close, Vaati found himself getting cornered by Ganondorf. The much taller man easily trapped off the inventor, although Vaati didn’t feel any real concern.

“What’s the matter, your majesty?”

“We were sabotaged.”

“Sabotaged?” Vaati repeated, squinting slightly. “Whatever do you mean?”

“Exactly what I _said_ , you _fool_. Those _damn_ rebels- they’re getting too bold. They came when the guard changed on the armory, and destroyed large amounts of our weaponry. Some sort of explosive was used- they’re _crafty_ , I’ll give them that much.”

“An explosive…? How fascinating.” He wondered if they’d put his remote bombs to use, or if they’d gone with something more old fashioned. Thankfully, his wondering was written off as another of his oddities by the king, who was too caught up in his own anger to care about Vaati being Vaati. “What do you request of me, then?”

“First, you are going to build me more things to be used for security. Then, you are going to rebuild the weaponry they destroyed.”

“Nothing for the rebels directly, then?”

“Not you _specifically_ , no. But there is going to be a very important meeting coming _very soon_ , and you are _not_ permitted to miss it. Have I made myself clear?”

“Crystal, your majesty.”

“Good. Get to work, then.”

“Of course. Right away.”

It would seem his own project would have to wait, but he didn’t mind. Rebuilding what’d been lost would be easy, and it would keep his mind busy.

And to that, he found himself honestly rather grateful.


	7. Something Unpredictable

When Blue’s squad returned from the castle, Zelda found herself heaving a sigh of relief. They’d been taking a _huge_ risk and she’d _known_ it, but this was guaranteed to be the best chance they’d have to actually _sneak in_. And Blue was the best among them for the job, having snuck in once before- the mission that time had been a bust, but he’d still been more familiar with the palace than any others.

Well, that wasn’t entirely true- there _was_ Octavo, but Zelda both didn’t trust him enough yet, and wasn’t going to put his life at risk when he would be expected to be at the celebration.

“Yo, Z- one part of this was a bust, though.”

“Hmm?” Zelda blinked, turning her head. “What do you mean?”

“The inventor’s study- we planted a bomb, but the stupid thing refused to go off.”

“It did?”

“Yeah. Literally nothing we tried would make it go, so we ended up having to just abandon that part of the plan.”

“…That is a shame. But we still achieved much to weaken their forces, so it wasn’t all for naught.”

Blue leaned back in his seat, and after a few moments, put his feet up at the table. It seemed as though nobody else was really _happy_ about him doing that, but nobody was going to tell him _no_ either. The guy had done something pretty important for today, so he’d have his chance to celebrate.

“If he’s an inventor, he likely has precautions set up in his work space.” Vio spoke up, hand on his chin in thought. “I’d imagine he put up a sort of antimagic barrier, a blanket effect so he doesn’t blow himself up while tinkering. His machines have incredibly powerful and dangerous magitechnology, after all…”

“You make a good point.

“So then, we just need to _disable_ it. If we could disable that barrier, we could easily destroy his workshop.”

“And that would further slow them down… yes. However, I can’t imagine any of us getting anywhere _close_ to Vaati’s workshop now…”

“Huh?”

Zelda’s head turned at the new voice- Octavo had wandered in, the bard holding lute in hand. He’d promised to come by today after everything, to see how things had gone and help in further preparations… it was unfortunate he’d chosen that exact moment to arrive, though.

“Oh, it was nothing-“

“You do understand, don’t you?” Zelda cut off Red’s attempt to smooth things over, staring at the man. “Your brother’s work… he causes a lot of problems.”

“Trust me when I say- you do _not_ want to tamper with his workshop.”

“…And why would you say that?”

“If you think him dangerous _now_ , then you’d be _terrified_ of him when he can’t work. He’s a _monster_ \- when he can _work,_ his sadism is channeled into something manageable. When he _can’t?_ I fear for this kingdom more than what Ganondorf could ever do.”

“…You say you _like_ your brother, _right?_ ”

“Of course. We’re siblings.”

“Ah. That explains a lot.”

Zelda sighed, looking around. In truth, Vaati was one of the few people who was on their list of potential targets- the man himself was _dangerous_. He had immense skill and could create horrible weapons, and leaving him alive was… dangerous. They could rest far easier if they didn’t have to worry about everything they destroyed just being rebuilt, but such was the way of things as they were now…

With Octavo here, it made targeting Vaati a little harder. She certainly was not going to tell him to murder his brother, she was not _cruel_ \- and she didn’t expect him to just sit idly by if they plotted an assassination. She had to bet on him warning Vaati… which meant that really, they just couldn’t target him at all. Besides, the less people who had to get involved, the better. She could understand that he was just doing his _job_... it was just that his job caused more harm than good.

“If you believe tampering with his workshop to be dangerous, then what would _you_ suggest?”

“If I knew a way to better manage my brother, I would probably not be here- I’d be having peaceful rests every night. I’d be on cloud nine. He is the reason I have bags under my eyes.”

“ _Definitely_ siblings.” Zelda laughed to herself, earning a frown from Octavo. “I suppose we’ll have to put dealing with his workshop on the backburner for now, then. Besides, I’d imagine he’ll be busy for quite some time with repairing what we managed to destroy.”

“I… do know _one_ way to slow him down, too.”

“Oh?”

“Making him _sleep._ I can do my best at that.”

“An… odd plan, but that seems effective, yes. You should do that then.”

Zelda couldn’t help but feel as though there was a _lot_ of context she was missing out on, but she supposed that made sense. After all, Octavo and Vaati had known each other their whole lives… she was an only child, but she’d at least known Green, Blue, Red, and Vio for most of her life. They were dear friends, and she cared deeply for all of them.

Their meeting continued, carrying on with more things. The rebellion had been gaining a lot of support fairly quickly these days, it was giving them hope- people were getting fed up. The king was more concerned with machines of war than the suffering of his people, so his people were _finally_ willing to stand up for what they deserved.

When it came to these things, Zelda was often willing to let the four brothers take charge- they tended to delegate tasks out between themselves fairly well. Zelda was the leader of the rebellion, that much everyone knew- but she preferred to only step in when needed, like when they began to argue.

Which, granted… _wasn’t uncommon_ , given the brothers. But still, she had faith in them.

“Hey… Zel?” Green had approached her following the meeting, leaning in close. “Are you certain we should’ve let Octavo know as much as we did today?”

“We didn’t really have much choice. He’d already heard, hiding things would’ve just made them worse.”

“I suppose you’re right… I just hope he doesn’t go telling his brother.”

“Even if he did, I get the distinct feeling that Vaati wouldn’t care. It sounds as though they aren’t terribly close.”

“Yeah…. yeah, that’s certainly true.”

The conversation fell into a lull, and the two of them just sat together for a good long while. They didn’t really need words, not at the moment- when your life was hectic as theirs got managing the rebellion, sometimes you just needed some moments of privacy, of _rest_.

And in times like that, just being together was enough.


	8. The Meaning of Freedom

Vaati sat quietly at the table, his usual stiff frown decorating his face. The only ones present to this meeting were him, Ganondorf, his two top advisers, and the captain of the royal guard. The two advisors were both people Vaati just tolerated at _best_ \- Zant was an idiot if you asked him, and Ghirahim was just _irksome_. The white-haired man _loved_ to bother Vaati, which naturally meant the inventor hated him with a burning passion.

As for the captain of the guard, though… Shadow was interesting. He’d joined the guard when he’d been quite young, and quickly risen through the ranks. He was incredibly skilled with a blade, and quite ruthless. It was actually pretty impressive how cold the boy could be, given his age… Vaati wouldn’t say he held _respect_ for him, but he did understand why Ganondorf had given him his position.

However, now wasn’t time to think about the people gathered around him. Now was time to deal with a horrid meeting about the rebellion, leaning back in his chair and attempting to hide how bored he already felt.

“Something needs to be done. _Immediately._ ”

The king was pacing back and forth, with a look in his eyes that may have unsettled a lesser man. In all honesty, Vaati couldn’t help but agree with consensus- the king _had_ changed of late. He couldn’t quite describe how or why, but there was something… _different_ about him. Perhaps it was due to the headaches, but he just seemed angrier.

“Of _course,_ Lord Ganondorf.” Ghirahim was the first to speak, ever eager to suck up. Honestly, if Vaati had been one to care then he likely would’ve wanted to retch at how Ghirahim acted. Infuriating, completely infuriating. “Those damed rebels have had their run of things long enough. It’s about time we put an end to them.”

“They’re making a _fool_ of me. They’re treating me like a joke- me, _me!_ I am _king_ of this kingdom, it is _mine!_ ”

“Naturally, milord. And we all exist to serve you.”

Had Vaati been a less intelligent man, he would’ve scoffed at that notion. He existed to serve none, he had no _true_ master- but his self-interest currently said that getting killed by the king was not wise, so he kept his mouth shut.

“They need to be put in their place. I need to snuff them out, one by one.” Finally Ganondorf stopped his mad pacing, Eyes settling completely on Shadow. “And that is where you come in.”

“About _time_. Are you finally ready for me to attack?”

“No. I want their undoing to come from a _friend_ \- you’re going to ally yourself with them. Infiltrate them, become _one of them_. You’ve stayed low profile enough that your face shouldn’t be known.”

“An infiltration… that’s absolutely _sadistic,_ your majesty.”

“Do you take issue with that?”

The boy shook his head, looking rather sadistic himself.

“Of course not. In fact, I’m looking forwards to killing them _one by one_ \- they’ll never see it coming.”

“Marvelous. Do _not_ fail in this task, Shadow- do, and you’ll _die_. Understand me?”

“Understood completely. Don’t worry, I _won’t_ fail you.”

“Good.” The king was back to pacing, gripping at his head as though the headache had returned once more. If Vaati had known magics for healing, or any sort of medicine, he may have offered aid. But he didn’t, and he didn’t care to learn, so he didn’t really bother himself with it. “Vaati, You’re going to make Shadow any tool he requests. Anything to help him gain their trust. That is an order, and it is top priority.”

“Very well.”

Oh, that was frustrating. He didn’t want to take orders from a boy younger than _he_ \- but at the very least, he didn’t have to be _polite_ to him. And honestly… Vaati would rather enjoy _listening in_ on Shadow. This infiltration plan was guaranteed to be amusing, if nothing else.

* * *

“I’ll need a cooler sword. And a mask, probably- oh, I guess something to change my voice?” Shadow had sprawled himself out on Vaati’s cot with complete and utter disregard for the inventor’s personal space, ignoring the man who was at his work bench. “Whatever’ll help me trick those idiots into believing I’m on their side.”

“A sword, then. I hardly imagine showing up with complete gear to ‘fit in’ is what _most_ of the common folk they recruit do, then.”

“Tch. You’re just a stingy little shit, aren’t you?”

“Not stingy. _Smart._ Sending you fully armed would be the same as sending you in with a sign that says _I’m working for the king_.”

“Whatever. It’s not like it matters- even if they _did_ figure me out, I’d just kill them all.”

“Confident. I suppose that’s to be expected for a person like you.”

“And you’re just as horrible to be around as everyone says. You’re lucky you’re useful, y’know that?”

“Yes, yes. Sure. Now if you’d leave me be to work on your sword, I’ll actually be able to get this _finished_.”

“Sure, whatever. It better be _good_ , or I’ll tell the king you’re just fucking around.”

“My inventions are perfect. Don’t second-guess me, or it’ll be your mistake.”

He ignored Shadow’s muttering as he left, instead focusing in on work. Oh, this would _certainly_ be interesting… he had already made up his mind to ‘eavesdrop’, and things would only get _more_ interesting. Would Shadow be discovered? He certainly hoped not- because more than anything, he would _love_ to see how he responded to people outside of the sheltered little bubble he’d grown up in within the palace.

However… which would break down first? The boy, or the rebellion?

In all honesty, Vaati was betting against Shadow. He was young, and while talented, he was still inexperienced. Vaati himself wasn’t much older, but those years held a _lot-_ the years of his life he’d spent apprenticed to another had taught him much about the world, and they were something that Shadow didn’t have.

Once more, Vaati found himself frowning deeply as his mind wandered back to his apprenticeship. Those long, long years- his life had most certainly changed during them. He could understand why Octavo claimed he’d changed so significantly, because he _had_. But Vaati didn’t think it was for the worse- yes, he was a little colder, a little ruder. But he was also a million times smarter now, and knew how to ensure he would never be used like that ever again.

And really, wasn’t that a _good_ thing? He was just looking out for himself, to ensure that no master could ever keep hold over him like some stupid _toy_ ever again. So long as he worked for his own goals and plans, not even _Ganondorf_ could claim to be his master- and that was how Vaati wanted it.

_Yes_ , he mused to himself. Like this, he was _free_.


	9. Distorted Reflections

Tensions in the castle felt… higher than usual. It’d taken Octavo longer than expected to be able to sneak out that night, heading for the meeting- there were supposed to be a lot of new recruits in again, and he was looking forwards to it. Perhaps this time, he’d finally have proven himself a little more _trustworthy_.

He sat to the back, hair down and eye looking forward with clarity. There was the odd look or stare, the odd mutter of distrust- but word had spread internally about him, it would seem. He was no longer met with blatant hatred or anger, which was honestly more than enough for Octavo for now.

Soon enough, he’d prove himself. He knew he’d be able to do it, so he really didn’t let himself get caught up on the simple things.

He’d actually managed to get himself rather psyched up and in a good mood, excited for the meeting to come- when he met eyes with one of the people in the crowd, sitting with the other new members. Instantly, Octavo felt the blood drain from his face- _it was Shadow._ He knew the rather ruthless captain of the guard mostly in name only, but he’d still seen his face around once or twice. Vaati would’ve known him better than Octavo did… but still, Octavo’s face was obvious.

And given Shadow’s grin, Octavo was _fucked_.

For the entirety of the meeting, Octavo was beside himself. It took every ounce of self-control he had to keep his mind clear, to not just stand up and _scream_ \- if he didn’t want to die, he had to think up a good lie.

“Hey, fancy seeing _you_ here. Want to walk home _together?_ ”

Octavo felt as though he might be sick when he heard the captain slide up beside him, his voice too smooth and calm.

“O-Oh, uh, sure.”

He wanted nothing more than silence, to just at least have _quiet_ for what was sure to be his final night alive, but it seemed as though Shadow wouldn’t even grant him that. _Unfortunate_ , a voice that sounded a little like Vaati said in his mind. _How unfortunate._

“I never would’ve expected that inventor’s brother to be working as a _spy_. Impressive… I thought you were just a worthless bard.”

“Spy?” Octavo blinked- oh, that was _it!_ An excuse, at least. “O-Oh, uh… _yeah_. I figured- I figured, uh, perhaps if I managed to get _close_ enough, I could steal some of their magitech. Give it to Vaati, so he could figure out how to better counteract it.”

Something told him that Shadow was just fucking with him, and he wouldn’t doubt that, but he literally would’ve taken _any_ excuse. And Shadow had given him the perfect one, so! He’d take it. He’d take it until he could get close enough to Zelda while alone to warn her, because Shadow was _not_ to be trusted.

“I guess then, this can be _our little secret._ After all, neither of us are supposed to be out and about- _right?_ ”

“Y-Yeah, uh… yeah. Right.”

“ _Wonderful_. I’m excited to see what your brother can make for us, _friend._ ”

With that, Shadow sauntered off into the darkness. Octavo rushed the rest of his way home- he was too unsettled to think terribly straight, just wanting to get to his _room._

* * *

Despite the hour of the day, Octavo didn’t hesitate in knocking at his brother’s workshop door. He knew that Vaati wouldn’t actually be sleeping, his brother never wanted to sleep- he slid inside as a very irritated _‘enter’_ sounded through the door, Octavo slamming it shut behind him.

“I’m dead. I’m so dead.”

“ _Hmm?_ ”

“I am going to die.”

“Brother, what are you _talking_ about?”

“ _Shadow_.”

“You’re scared of your shadow? That’s rather childish of you, Octavo-“

“ _You know who I mean!_ ”

Vaati shrugged, before folding his arms. Octavo was pretty sure he saw Vaati roll his eyes- _seriously_ , brother?

“Of course I do. What is it about Shadow?”

“He’s going to kill me. He’s going to out me to Ganondorf and then kill me.” He knew that Vaati had said he wasn’t going to hold any more conversations about _that topic_ , but he couldn’t just _not say anything_. “I am going to die, brother.”

“Oh, _please_. You’re too dramatic, Octavo.”

Despite his panic, Vaati seemed completely calm. Calm, as though he’d already known about this- Octavo scrambled over, grabbing his brother’s shoulders.

“Did you _know_ about this?!”

“Naturally. Do you think I wouldn’t be privy to something so important?”

“I swear to the goddesses brother, if you were _eavesdropping_ again-“

“I was not. This was decided upon in a meeting.”

“A… meeting?”

“Yes.” Vaati brushed Octavo’s hands off, straightening his clothes. “You should be safe for a good while. He’s not to do anything until he’s gained their trust. I’d recommend working on either gaining _his_ , or _hers_. It’s up to you who you wish to ally yourself to.”

“Her.”

“Fascinating. You’ve truly become that invested?”

“Yes, I _have_.” Octavo frowned- he knew his brother was cold, but _seriously?_ Did he really not understand why Octavo cared, even when _he himself_ was aiding the rebellion? “It’s _important_ , brother. The people of this kingdom are suffering, and we, here? We aren’t helping them enough. Things need to change.”

“That’s dangerous talk here, Octavo. I’d watch how loudly you speak.”

“You soundproof this room, though.”

“Naturally.”

“Then it’s fine, and I can ask you- _how can you act so distant about this?_ ”

“Because it hardly concerns me. I just find them useful to test out new ideas.”

“ _Useful?_ ”

“Yes, I said what I meant.”

Octavo couldn’t help a look of disgust working its way onto his face- every so often, Vaati’s attitude would _really_ piss him off, and this was one of those times. It made him mad, so mad- because Vaati hadn’t _always_ been like this.

“You really have changed, Vaati.”

“You like bringing that up.”

“It’s because you went away. What _happened_ to you?”

“Nothing of importance. I’ve already told you, my apprenticeship simply taught me the skills I would need to be effective at my craft.”

“It changed everything _about_ you, though!”

“Hardly. I still argue with you, after all.”

“ _Vaati._ ” His hands clenched into fists, doing his best to just keep himself calm. “Why won’t you just _talk_ about it?”

“Because there’s nothing to talk about, Octavo. Now, are you quite finished? I’m tired of this conversat-“

“I am _not!_ You can’t keep just _shutting me out!_ We’re _family,_ damn you!”

There was a long silence, and Octavo watched as Vaati’s face stayed perfectly level. No emotion managed to peek through his mask, and Octavo found himself in one of those brief moments where he wondered if Vaati still felt _anything._

“I make no effort to shut you out. I simply don’t think it’s a topic worth conversation.”

“ _Fine then!_ ” Octavo was tired and stressed out and angry, and he didn’t feel like dealing with his brother’s endless stubbornness in this moment. “Fine then. I don’t care. Do whatever you want. I’m going back to my room.”

“Very well. Good night, brother.”

He didn’t bother dignifying Vaati with a response- he was too high-strung, and didn’t feel like getting himself any further wound up.

What _had_ happened to Vaati? When they’d been kids, things had been _so_ different. Vaati had been a little awkward sure, and still never the best at expressing himself- but he’d been far more willing to _try_. He’d worn his heart on his sleeve, shy and timid but full of curiosity.

Often, it felt as though Octavo was the only one who even cared about it. He honestly didn’t know if Vaati genuinely _realized_ how drastically he’d changed… perhaps it had been something slow, over those years where he’d been away. To Octavo, he’d only ever seen the before and after- and it had been stark as night and day.

By the time he finally returned to his room, Octavo was utterly exhausted. He threw himself down on his bed without much care, staring up at the ceiling.

“Vivi… really, _what **happened** to you?_”


	10. Repair and Resolution

A few days had passed since the incident with Octavo, and Vaati found that he couldn’t stop thinking about it. While it wasn’t uncommon for he and Octavo to _argue_ , this had been _different_ \- for some reason, it kept pressing on his mind. In the couple of times he’d run into Octavo since, walking through the palace, his brother had avoided him entirely… and that was unpleasant.

Vaati could understand he’d done something wrong. He did _understand_ that, he just still couldn’t understand why Octavo _cared_ so much.

So he’d changed- was that such a big deal? Everyone changed. It was natural for change to happen, it was _expected_. Change was a law of the natural world, so shouldn’t it follow that people would change as well?

It wasn’t like Octavo hadn’t changed either. His brother had grown up a _lot_ , compared to who he’d once been. He was still impulsive and brash, doing whatever popped into his head… but he’d grown more sure of himself. More _decisive_. It showed in the little things for certain, but most easily in who his brother had allied himself with.

Octavo was certainly a better person, but Vaati didn’t mind that.

Regardless, Vaati found himself frustrated. It was getting harder to concentrate on work for as long as Octavo was avoiding him, and he did not like losing out on work time. So, eventually he’d decided he didn’t have a choice. He would swallow his pride, and speak with his brother.

He didn’t bother knocking as he entered Octavo’s room- he could hear the sounds of a lute carrying gently through the door, so he knew he was inside.

“H-Huh? Vaati, what’re you doing here?”

“I came to… apologize.” Vaati looked away, finding himself rather uncertain of what to do. He didn’t exactly _do_ this, he was not the sort of person who typically cared about others emotions, but he found that he didn’t want to lose the connection to his only remaining family. “I am aware that I upset you the other day. So I apologize.”

“Oh… Okay.”

“Is that _it?_ ” Vaati turned his head around, about to glare at Octavo- when he noticed his brother’s hair was pulled back. The bangs that typically covered his right eye were brushed out of the way, and there was scarring all down the side of his face. “What’s _that?_ ”

“Huh?”

“Your face. What happened.”

“This? O-Oh, uh— that was, um…. I stepped on a shovel.”

Vaati didn’t always hold his brother in the _highest_ esteem, but he was not an _idiot-_ he knew that the scars on his brother’s face were certainly not from a _shovel_. And his brother wasn’t _that_ stupid that he’d lose an _eye_ like that, either.

“Liar.”

“Okay, uh… yeah. But it’s really not that important- it was just a little accident.”

“With a _blade?_ ” Vaati had gotten close enough to inspect, poking at the skin. Octavo quickly brushed his hands away, but Vaati persisted. “These don’t look terribly accidental.”

“Okay, well… I, uh… when you were away, around when I started on as a bard- I had a bit of a run-in, is all.”

“A _what?_ ”

“I just got into a little fight!”

“What _idiot_ would fight a _bard?!_ You don’t _fight_ , you play _music_ , only a _coward_ attacks an opponent who can’t fight _back—”_

“Well, he certainly _was_ an idiot. He didn’t _realise_ it, brother.”

“…You know who it is, don’t you? Which one. I’ll ensure his equipment has a _little accident_.”

“ _Brother._ ” Octavo seemed weirded out, and Vaati couldn’t really understand why. “I’m not telling you. Why do you _care_ , anyways?”

“It’s an eye. They are important.” Vaati would know- his own right eye’s sight had been lost in a welding accident. Perhaps it was ironic that he’d never thought to mention it to Octavo… but he really didn’t consider it important. Not for _him_ , at least. “And… as you said. We are family.”

“Vaati…”

“I am… not terribly warm. And I do not care for wasting words. But I understand that I upset you, and I apologize for that. I... I do not want you staying mad at me.”

He was rather stiff, and Octavo seemed rather stunned- he wondered if he had said something wrong. It wouldn’t shock him, considering his lack of experience in this field. He really was _not_ used to this…

…which was why he also hadn’t expected Octavo to leap up, pulling Vaati into a hug with a dumb grin on his face.

“Aw, Vivi! It’s okay.”

“You’re crushing me.”

“Consider it your punishment.”

“This is horribly uncomfortable.”

“ _Deal with it._ ”

Vaati wasn’t the only one who could be cold in this family, Octavo just squeezing tighter with that grin ever-present. He supposed he shouldn’t be surprised, give that they _were_ brothers… honestly, this was just cruel.

“I’m frail and delicate. You’ll break me.”

“You’ll just have to toughen up, then!”

He rolled his eye at Octavo’s words, although he did certainly pant for breath once he was released from the hug. He hadn’t been joking about Octavo squeezing the air out of him, nor had he been joking about being frail. Turns out, spending a majority of your time in your workshop on various tasks _wasn’t_ the best for exercise.

“Vaati, do you… understand, though? Why I’m upset?”

In all honesty, he found it difficult. He wasn’t sure he understood it completely, not _really_ \- but he wanted to try, because he didn’t want to lose his family.

“I… believe so. It is because I am not open about myself, correct?” Octavo nodded, leading Vaati to believe he really did understand the issue. “It is not that I don’t trust you with things about myself, brother. They simply aren’t things that come to mind as important issues.”

“I get that. I get that you don’t get it. But… _please_ , can you at least make an _effort_ from now on? In return, I promise I'll try to understand your side as well.”

“…I suppose.”

“ _Thank you_ , Vivi.”

Vaati just nodded, turning to the door. He’d accomplished all he’d really wanted, and he hoped that Octavo would understand him a little better now. He felt as though he understood things a little better _himself_ , at the very least… and his brother was no longer angry at him. Which, honestly, was good enough.

“…Thank you as well, ‘Tavo.”


	11. Uncertainty

When it came to their growing ranks, Zelda found herself… a little concerned. Some people, such as Octavo, had quickly proven themselves trustworthy. She was shocked by how helpful the man had been, in all honesty. He’d offered plenty of insight into the palace, the way things worked, about the schedules that he knew about and things like that.

She didn’t ask for much- she still didn’t want to put him at risk, and if it seemed like there was a mole in the palace then the cost could be g _reat_. She’d rather not be the cause of the king beginning to take such drastic actions, so instead she kept his knowledge on hand for _other_ things, for _later_ plans.

Then, on the other hand… there were people like Shadow. He was clever and good with a sword, and _incredibly_ ruthless- but it was that ruthlessness that gave her cause for concern. She didn’t quite like how ready he was to offer to get his hands dirty, and it made him hard to trust.

“We are _not_ a militia.”

“You always say that, but why _not?_ You can hardly expect to topple a tyrant with _peace_.”

“When it comes to Ganondorf, we are prepared to use force. But we do not harm those who are not involved.”

“That’s just being _soft_.”

“We are here to _serve our people_. If we start _killing_ them, we are _no better_ than Ganondorf.”

Zelda’s voice was firm, glaring at Shadow. Nobody else seemed terribly pleased with his opinions either… and after a few moments of realizing that it seemed like he was alone in his views, he finally stood down.

“Fine. Whatever. Just don’t come crying to me when we all get slaughtered.”

“That won’t happen.” It was Vio who spoke up, shaking his head. “I understand being worried, but you don’t need to underestimate us. Relying on violence and bloodshed isn’t how we’ve gained this much support, it was by standing up for our ideals and working to _help_ people.”

“ _Help_ won’t do much against an army that’d slaughter you without second thought.”

“We won’t just lie down and die. We risk our lives every second of every day being here- do you think us cowards? If we must fight, we shall- our revolution is not something we’re going to just _give up_ on. But we will not harm those not involved.”

For a second, Zelda thought she noticed Octavo shooting Blue a glance. But she quickly wrote it off- surely she’d been mistaken.

“That’s…” Shadow seemed weirdly speechless in response to Vio’s argument, eventually just crossing his arms in a huff. “Fine. _Fine_. You win. I get it.”

That was how these meeting often seemed to go these days, with strange arguments that ended up with Shadow just giving in. It was often Vio who managed to get him to do so, too. Strange, very strange.

She couldn’t trust him, and the glances that Octavo would shoot the boy when he thought nobody was looking made him even _less_ trustworthy. But she wished to give him a fair chance, believing her friends more than capable of fighting him off if he did end up stabbing them all in the back.

“Zel… what do you think we should do?” Green had found her alone, and the two of them had taken a moment to sit. She was tired, honestly- leading a rebellion was exhausting. But the work was never finished, and she wouldn’t allow herself rest until everything was done. “Things are only getting worse. People are starting to get restless…”

“I know, Green… I know. Ganondorf is getting less and less interested in putting on a good face.”

“Do you think he’s planning something?”

“That, I don’t know.”

“Then… what can we do?”

“The same as we’ve always done, Green. We’ll believe- hold onto our _hope_. And in the meantime, we’ll have to start moving faster… our revolution needs to happen. We can’t let people keep suffering as they are now.”

“Yeah… yeah. We’ll do this. I believe in us- in _you_.”

“Thank you… thank you.”

Zelda smiled, leaning against her friend. She had to be strong, so strong… so every so often, it was so good to just have a moment to be _weak_. To admit that she wasn’t always sure, she wasn’t always certain… around Green, that was easy.

“I’m worried. I’m worried for what is going to happen.”

“I know. I know, but I promise you. Things will work out.”

“Thank you… I wish I could have the same faith in things that you did, right now.”

“That’s why I’m here, Zel. To support you when you need the extra help.”

“Green…” She gave his hand a weak squeeze, leaning in a little bit closer. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

Come tomorrow, she would be the strong leader of the rebellion again. Come tomorrow, she’d be back to her usual self. But for now, just in this moment- she’d allow herself some peace, the peace to sit side-by-side with her best friend.


	12. I Won't Regret This

Shadow was distraught.

This was supposed to be _easy_. To infiltrate the rebellion, to earn their trust, and to kill them all while their guards were down. It had started off easy enough, too! He’d wormed his way in no problem, and he was certain nobody suspected a thing. Well, nobody except _Octavo-_ but the bard was smart enough to know that saying something would be the same as signing his death warrant, so he didn’t have to worry about _him_.

Yes, it was supposed to be _so easy_ … except somehow, the ruthless and cruel captain of the guards had gotten _soft_.

When he’d realized it, it’d _terrified_ him. There was something about the _atmosphere_ there- when people got into arguments, it wasn’t the same as the castle. There was no underlying bloodlust, no threat that if things went a little too far, swords would be drawn… it didn’t feel as though he needed to be constantly on edge, and that put him _incredibly_ on edge.

He didn’t like it at all. He didn’t like how they would calmly joke around, how they’d treat each other with such _softness…_ it was genuinely unsettling. Even his attempts to rile them up never seemed to do anything, they were all secure in their positions together- sure, that Blue was a bit of a moron and easy to mess around with, but even _he_ wasn’t as stupid as Shadow had originally thought he was. Rude and aggressive, sure, but no idiot.

What was he supposed to do about this? He didn’t like having these _feelings_ , having this sense of attachment to a group of people that he’d never really had before. It was… oh _goddesses_ , he realized, he was _jealous_. Jealous of people who could be so close, of people who could be so _happy_ together.

Even with their every day in peril, even knowing any one of them could die at any moment… they were still happier than Shadow had maybe ever been in his life.

“Oi, Vaati.” The captain didn’t bother knocking on the door to the inventor’s workshop, slamming it shut behind him. “ _Oi._ You listening to me?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“Oh, shut _up_.” Shadow rolled his eyes, ignoring Vaati’s snark. He honestly hated the man, hence why he did his best to avoid him- he doubted that the other liked him much either, though. “I need another weapon.”

“Did you _already_ manage to break yours?”

“No. But I want something impressive to show off.”

“What I created you is already impressive.”

“It doesn’t have to be a _weapon_ then- just _anything_ , something to help me gain their trust faster. Something impressive.”

“Very well. I suppose I can let you see a prototype I’ve been developing.”

Shadow raised an eyebrow as Vaati stood from his work bench, moving over to one of the many shelves in the room. After a few moments, he picked something up and walked back.

“And… what the hell is _that?_ ”

“Hookshot.”

“What does it do?”

“The hook is attached to a chain. The chain is on a spring- press the button in the handle and it will shoot out, attach itself into proper materials, and then pull you up.”

“ _Whoa._ ”

Vaati was about to set it down, but Shadow snatched it out of his hands to examine. The inventor immediately set about to protesting, a sound that Shadow found _incredibly_ annoying.

“It isn’t _finished_. Use it as it is now, and you may die. As well, I’ll need to remove my brand if you wish to bring it with you. Carrying in something with the royal inventor’s trademark would be foolish, even for _you_.”

“Fine. Whatever. Just have it done by tomorrow night, that’s when I’m next going.”

“Very well. Don’t disturb me any further.”

“As if I’d _want_ to.”

* * *

The next evening at the rebellion meeting, Shadow kept the hookshot in his bag, more than a little excited to try it out. He continued to tell himself that it was just because he wanted to gain their trust, to make them believe in him… and yet, part of him had trouble buying that at the moment.

Oh well, he’d ignore that. More than anything, he was just excited to try out that hookshot.

He didn’t know why he’d found himself actually engaging in the meeting that night, not just giving his usual attempts to sow distrust. It was as if he was actually _at ease_ , shocking as that was to him. After all… why should he be at ease? That made _no_ sense. _He was in enemy territory_.

But the meeting came to a close, and Shadow found himself approaching Vio.

“Hey, mind if I show you something?”

“Hmm?” The man paused, then nodded. “Sure, what is it?”

“I got something _really_ cool. I think I could be pretty useful.” Shadow pulled out the hookshot with a flourish, allowing Vio to take it in. “Whadd’you think? Pretty neat, eh?”

“I suppose… what _is_ it?”

Vio had leaned in closer, doing his best to examine the object. Shadow just grinned, feeling more than a little bit smug.

“It’s called a hookshot- lifted it off an old friend.” He had to suppress a wince at calling Vaati a _friend_ , choosing to ignore that. “It’s multipurpose… but, I think I could explain it better if I showed you.”

“Alright then, go ahead.”

Shadow couldn’t help but feel encouraged by the amused look on Vio’s face, wanting even more than before to just have a chance to _show off_. It was strange, though… it wasn’t like he was doing this to further his position in the guard, or things like that. Zelda wasn’t even around, so he wasn’t really doing it for _position_ … he just wanted to show off to Vio.

Oh well. He’d worry about that later, too.

Aiming the hookshot at a tree within range, Shadow pressed the button. There was just a second of delay before the metal hook sprung out, quickly latching itself into the tree.. and before he could properly prepare himself, it’d pulled him along. He couldn’t prevent himself from letting out a shout, grunting as he was knocked into the tree.

“Gghh…. _Damn you…_ ”

“Whoa— Shadow, are you okay?” Vio had run up after him, doing his best to help the other man stand catch his bearings. “You just shot off like an arrow there…”

“Yeah… yeah, I’m good. Dazed, but good.”

“Okay, I’m glad.”

At that, Vio started to snicker. The snickering burst into a full-blown laughter, and after a few moments, Shadow couldn’t help but laugh too. Even his anger at Vaati was forgotten in the instance, actually just _enjoying_ himself for once.

“Oh _goddess_ , my gut hurts!”

“From the tree?”

“No, from _laughing_ \- I don’t think I’ve laughed that much in my entire _life!_ ”

“Oh?” Vio tilted his head, looking at Shadow. “What do you mean?”

“I, uh- well, I guess my… my family wasn’t exactly that _nice_.” He didn’t really want to talk about being raised within the castle by the guard, he didn’t think that would exactly _help_ him here. “Where I come from, stuff like laughter or fun doesn’t really matter. You either do your job and do it quick, or you die.”

“Sounds like a tough place…”

“Eh, I did fine. I proved myself the best of any of ‘em- now they’ve gotta answer to _me._ ”

“And yet, you’d want to risk what you’ve got by helping us here?”

The question was enough to make Shadow freeze. For a second, he’d managed to forget that he was supposed to be infiltrating, that he was supposed to kill them… for a moment, he’d gotten so caught up in his little fiction of _friendship_ that he’d actually started to _believe_ it.

“I-I mean… well, yeah. After all, what I’ve got doesn’t mean much if the country goes to shit.”

“I see. Well… I’m glad you joined with us, Shadow.” Vio’s smile was gentle, in a way that Shadow had never seen directed at him before. It made his heart pound in a way that was a little bit terrifying, so he quickly looked away. “I hope that you don’t end up regretting your choice.”

“O-Of course. I’m not the sort to have regrets.”

His words weighed heavy on his mind for the rest of the night, along with the memory of Vio’s smile. Even by the time he returned to his room, he hadn’t been able to clear it- he kept replaying what’d happened in his mind, feeling his heart grow tighter and tighter within his chest. Why had he _said_ that?

“ _AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH! FUCK THIS!_ ”

Throwing a pillow at the wall, Shadow screamed. It was about all he knew for how to deal with his emotions- it at least got _something_ out, even if he didn’t know what that something _was_. That was better than nothing, right?

He could stand by his words, definitely. He didn’t regret the choices he’d made to get him this far in life, he didn’t regret who he was.

So surely, he’d make the right choice again.

He wouldn’t regret this, right?


	13. Carefully Detached

From his workshop, Vaati couldn’t help but chuckle. He’d heard Shadow’s muttering on the wind as he’d returned to the castle, and he couldn’t help but eavesdrop for a few moments- which meant he’d heard the man’s little internal struggle. Was their ruthless captain of the guard having some second thoughts?

Oh, how _cute_.

His current free time was being spent on his own personal sword, the one he’d began working on what felt like _ages_ ago. It was mostly completed by now, the only reason it’d even taken so long was because it was low priority compared to the work he was required to do.

The hardest part had been figuring out how to implement the magitechnology he’d wanted into the hilt, but he’d basically gotten that done. Now it was just a matter of reinforcing everything he needed to reinforce, ensuring that the blade would work as a proper blade.

“ _VAATI!_ ”

The inventor nearly jumped out of his skin as his brother burst into the room, panting as though he’d just run an entire marathon.

“For _fuck’s sake_ Octavo, do _not_ yell when I am _working!_ ”

“You’re always working.”

“ _SO NEVER FUCKING YELL!_ ”

Octavo just rolled his eye, taking a moment to catch his breath while Vaati took the moment to regain his composure. A breath in, a breath out- just a few of those, and he was fine. Totally fine. Absolutely completely fine.

“I’m gonna die, Vivi.”

“This again?”

“It’s Shadow- he’s absolutely gonna kill me.”

“Would he not have done so already if he were planning on it?”

“He’s gonna make his move, Vaati. He’s _gonna_. I saw him when I was going home- he’s getting closer to them. He’s getting ready to strike. I’m so gonna die.”

Vaati couldn’t help it- a snicker slipped out, only earning Octavo’s ire.

“Do you think this is _funny?_ Brother, I’m _serious_ here!”

“No, it’s not funny at all. But trust me, I do not think you have as much to worry about as you believe.”

“ _What?_ ”

“I’m rather confident you don’t have much to worry for. However, the deadline originally given was by next week- if you truly worry for your life, perhaps it would be best to play hooky.”

“I won’t do that. You know I can’t just ditch when I could have a chance at stopping him.”

“You don’t fight, brother.”

“But I have magic.”

“Are you prepared to take such a definite stance? You’d never be allowed to return here. Not even _I_ could help you then.”

“I am.”

Vaati was a little surprised by the determination on Octavo’s face, but he felt that he shouldn’t have been. Octavo had always been one to defy fate, to defy what people would say he’d been ‘meant’ to do… it was something Vaati was envious of, to be honest. He was stubborn and prideful, but not so bold... he'd rather find a workaround to an issue than challenge fate head-on. He dealt with things in other ways.

“Very well. I do request that you take this, at least.” Vaati held out a small machine he’d been working on- it was something that could clip onto Octavo’s belt, a strange little box that he’d spent hours on. “It’s intended to amplify the sound of your music. So long as you never use it in my presence, I believe it could be quite useful to you.”

“This is…” Octavo stared at the amplifier in his hands, before grinning. It only took a few moments until he threw his arms around his brother, giving him a squeeze. “Thanks, Vivi! This is perfect- absolutely _perfect._ ”

“Like I said- _not around me_.”

“We’ll see about that. Anyways, talk to you later!”

“Mmh. Good night.”

Vaati let out a sigh as Octavo left the room, sitting at his work bench. In truth, he had been meaning to give that tool to his brother for a while now. He’d put his own magic into the crystal cores of it, using his wind as a tool to boost sound waves. It wasn’t much different to projecting his voice, just from a more localized standpoint- there was a limit to what the amplifier could do, but he trusted Octavo to make good use of it.

Now, he believed that Octavo wouldn’t have to use it against Shadow- not with how troubled the man was at the moment. There was a chance that Shadow would stay true to his duties, yes… but the rebellion was very good at winning people over. They’d won Octavo’s heart quite efficiently, as well as the hearts of the people, and the king knew that. He knew he was rapidly losing support…

Of course, Vaati was above all this. He himself allied with nobody, so he’d never claim himself in support of the rebellion _or_ the crown. He was merely interested in watching, he assured himself. Just a watcher, who was using both sides for his own means.

An observer was really the best way to describe him. Truly, he thought, as he continued working on the next shipment for the rebellion. He had no true stake in the matter, he didn’t care who won.

But hopefully, they’d put this to good use.


	14. Please Don't Make Any Sudden Moves

“This is _taking too long_.”

It was another private meeting, the same group as usual all seated at the table. Ganondorf’s ire was currently directed at Shadow, who was actually paying attention for once. If he was having second thoughts, it wasn’t showing on his face… he was much better at acting than Vaati had originally given him credit for.

“Trust me, your majesty. We’re right on schedule- this week should be their last.”

“You should’ve _slaughtered_ them by now. Crushed them like the damn _bugs_ that they _are_.”

Shadow opened his mouth to continue, to offer some excuse- but one glare from the king was enough to shut him up again. Every time Vaati saw him, he seemed to be doing worse… it looked as though the man was driving himself insane, a haunted look in his eyes.

Was it paranoia, perhaps? Or something worse, that Vaati couldn’t understand…

“They make me look a _fool!_ The people are _worshiping_ the damn ground they walk on, and treating _me_ like a _monster!!_ Well, I’ll _show_ them a monster. Once we crush those rebels, I’m going to ensure that they _fear_ me. That they give me the respect I _deserve_.”

This was something new. He didn’t think the king had ever been quite like _this_ before, and even Vaati had the sense to be unsettled. Nobody else in the room truly seemed at peace either… Even _Ghirahim_ , eternal suck-up to the throne, looked mildly uncomfortable.

“What are you planning?” It was Shadow who spoke up first, leaning in. “What do you mean by that?”

“I mean that you’re going to march your men into town, and slaughter every last rebel. Anyone who helps them _dies_.”

“Wh- _with all due respect_ , why do you want to murder your citizens?”

“If they’re helping the rebels, they’re no longer my citizens. They’re traitors, and deserve to die.”

“Your majesty, that’s—”

“ _SILENCE!_ ” Ganodorf slammed one fist on the table, eyes wild as he looked about the room. “Are you betraying me as well, _Shadow?_ Need I find you a _replacement?_ ”

“No, of course not.”

“Then, do you have _issues_ with this?”

“N-No, I just—”

“Your majesty, if you will.” Vaati spoke up, not giving Shadow a chance to finish. “Do you not believe that… _brash?_ I doubt it will regain you the support you’ve los— _!_ ”

Vaati was cut off as Ganondorf backhanded him, the force enough to whip his head about and daze him for a moment. He could feel blood starting to well up where the man’s rings had torn though the skin of his cheek, and he was certain that it would bruise.

“DO _NOT_ QUESTION ME!”

“Understood, your majesty. My apologies.”

The room was silent after that, nobody daring to speak. Shadow continued to eye him with worry, but Vaati ignored it- such a light wound was nothing to worry about, and it was on his bad side anyways. That cheek was already covered enough by his hair, a couple more scars would make no difference.

The bleeding didn’t stop during the meeting, but he didn’t dare make a motion to deal with the injury until they were dismissed. He would rather not incur Ganondorf’s wrath any further than he already had… it was completely obvious that this man was not the same man who’d been crowned king once. He didn’t know what was happening, but Ganondorf was becoming someone else.

Ghirahim was the first to move following the meeting’s conclusion and the king’s exit, walking to Vaati.

“Do you need aid?”

“I’m perfectly capable of looking after this myself.”

“Fine. Next time, though… don’t speak up. He’s been like this for a while now, speaking out only makes him angry.”

“I can see that. I’ll keep it in mind for next time.”

All the while, Shadow had been staring down. He seemed conflicted, uncomfortable- Vaati wondered why. It wasn't like he'd be unused to injury or violence, given his position. The injury on his cheek was painful yes, but it was minor. Within a few days, it would have healed well enough. It seemed as though the boy had wanted to say something for a while, but he never opened his mouth... so Vaati didn't feel the need to remain within the room any longer. It was only as he rose to leave that Shadow finally spoke up, his voice hesitant.

“Why did you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Protect me. Why did you do that? He would’ve just been angry at me if you’d kept your mouth shut.”

“I did nothing of the sort." Vaati shook his head, looking away. He was above connection, he didn't care about others- he _certainly_ hadn't been looking out for Shadow. Or at least, that's what he continued to tell himself as he spoke. "I merely wished to speak what was on my mind, and present reason. Clearly, it was not what he wished to hear. That is all.”

“You… hey, _wait!_ ”

Vaati did not wait, leaving the room for his workshop. He’d pulled off one of his gloves to hold against his cheek, preventing it from bleeding onto the ground- once he was at his workshop he set about grabbing the first aid materials he kept in the room. It was simple enough to dress the wound, but he found himself sighing as he looked at the glove. It was going to be terribly stained now- even if he wore black gloves for the express purpose of not showing things like that, it was enough blood that it’d probably make a difference. He’d have to get another pair, then….

“Vaati?”

He turned as he heard a voice, looking to find Octavo staring. His eye was wide in shock, flitting between the blood that dripped from the glove, and the bandage on his face.

_“What happened?”_

“Worry not, brother. It was just an accident.”

“Like _hell_ it was!”

Vaati didn’t have time to prepare before Octavo had rushed over, brushing aside Vaati’s bangs. Unfortunately, that meant he was also able to see Vaati’s right eye, clouded and sightless. The lid was rather scarred as well, and Vaati found himself wincing at the look on his brother’s face.

_“WHAT?!”_

“Don’t worry, the eye went blind a long time ago. It is not a result of this.”

“Don’t _worry?!_ After what you pulled on _me?!!_ _How could you hide this!_ ”

“I… I’m sorry, brother. It simply wasn’t that relevant.”

“How was it _not?!_ ”

“Please, it wasn’t like something horrible happened. It was during a welding accident while I was in training.”

“You lost your eyesight. _I would know what that’s like_ , brother.”

“But I at least still have the eye. It’s not as bad as what you had to experience.”

“Vaati, you _idiot—!_ It’s not a _competition!_ ”

“Of course not. I’m just stating that my injury isn’t comparable to yours.”

“I don’t _care_ about that! I want to know that you’re _safe_ — and what the _hell_ happened to your cheek?!”

“An accident, is all.”

“ _LIKE FUCKING HELL IT WAS!_ ” Vaati winced at Octavo’s shouting, resisting the urge to cover his ears. “What happened. Tell me the fucking truth, Vaati.”

“…Its confidential. You’re not privy to that information.”

“ _Brother, I swear by the fucking goddesses. Tell. Me. Now._ ”

Vaati sighed, unsure of what to do. He didn’t really _want_ to tell Octavo- not because he didn’t want his brother to know, but because he didn’t want his brother to do something _stupid_ because of it. Octavo was too emotional, too excitable. It was a strength at times, yes… but at others, it was quite the detriment.

“I don’t want to give you reason to go getting yourself into trouble. You’d just wish to start a fight, wouldn’t you?”

“That’s—”

“And I’m not letting you get yourself hurt over some trivial injury such as this. It’s not worth your effort.”

“… _Vaati_.” Octavo’s voice was incredibly forced, but he could respect his brother for trying so hard to remain calm. “I swear I will not act on it. I just want to know.”

“If you’re lying, I _will_ disown you.”

“I promise, Vaati. I _promise_.”

Vaati stayed silent for a very long time, before eventually just sighing. He couldn’t say no to his brother, not when he was trying so hard… and he knew that it _was_ just concern. He appreciated that, even if he didn’t really know how to word it properly.

“It was Ganondorf.”

“ _What?!_ ”

“But please, Octavo. It was _my fault_ , I spoke out of line.”

“That is _never_ an excuse to _hit_ someone!”

“He is the king. He does as he pleases.”

“All the more reason he should _never_ strike out like that! He should be working for the interest of his _people_ , not _hurting_ them!”

“ _Careful_ , Octavo. Those are dangerous ideals.”

“Vivi…” For some reason, the way Octavo spoke put a pit in Vaati’s stomach. He felt concern, and that was unsettling to him. Why would he feel that way? Truly, he was the worst when it came to emotions… “Maybe… maybe we should leave. It’s not too late, we could get away-“

“Out of the question.”

“ _But—”_

“I will not hear this, Octavo. I have a duty to see through until the end. I’m far too invested in this little game to back out now.”

“Your _life_ is at _risk,_ though!”

“And it has been from the start. I have no issue with that, I’m prepared for whatever may come in the future.”

“Vivi, that’s—”

“I don’t expect you to understand, Octavo. But I will see this through to the end, from the position I’m in now. If you wish to grow angry at me for this, then that is fine, but I will not change my mind.”

“ _Fine then!_ ” Octavo turned to leave in a huff, feet stomping on the ground. “You’re an _idiot_ , Vaati.”

“Mmh.”

Vaati just watched as the door slammed shut, wondering for a moment if he’d just made a mistake. He had most certainly pissed Octavo off, but… well, it was getting too dangerous to pull punches. And he’d rather his brother be safe with the rebellion, in all honesty- he doubted they’d send a bard out to _fight_.

Besides, at the end of the day, Vaati still had work to do. And so long as he had his work, he had no real reason to leave the palace.

Hopefully, he found himself thinking, that wouldn’t be a mistake.


	15. Request

“Zelda, can I talk to you?”

Octavo had come by the rebellion’s hideout immediately after his argument with Vaati, too worried to sit still. He felt relief when she nodded and led him into her little office, closing the door so they could have a bit of privacy.

“We need to act.”

“huh?”

He could see how taken aback she was by his sudden insistence, but he didn’t let up just yet. Explain himself first, see how she takes it second. That was the game plan.

“We _need_ to act. Ganondorf is only getting worse by the day, and I’m worried that something _horrible_ is about to happen.”

“What… what brought this up, Octavo?”

“He… my brother…” He trailed off, before shaking his head. “He struck my brother, and he’s one of Ganondorf’s most trusted allies. If he’s willing to attack even his own inventor, someone he _relies_ on, then what could that mean for the rest of Hyrule?”

“Oh, Octavo… I’m so sorry…”

He forced himself to remain strong, even as Zelda put a hand over his. In truth, he didn’t really know what to say or do- he was _scared_. He was scared for his brother, because he _knew_ that Vaati wasn’t the sort to step up. He didn't care much about his own safety, for the most part. Which meant he’d likely just sit and take the abuse, if it came down to it.

“My brother… he _is_ strong. He can withstand a lot. But… but he shouldn’t _have_ to. Being _capable_ of dealing with it doesn’t mean he _deserves_ that!”

“Of course he doesn’t. We’ll find a way to help him too, Octavo. I promise.”

“Even… even though he’s only caused you all trouble?”

“He was just doing his job, same as anyone else in the palace. We don’t blame the cooks or cleaners for Ganondorf’s actions, do we?”

“But he’s created a _lot_ of weapons…”

“And we rely on weapons as well. It would be hypocritical of us to judge him purely on that.”

“Zelda…” Octavo was glad, _so_ glad. He knew that Vaati had done… definitely bad things. And he knew that Vaati wasn’t really the sort to feel guilty for those things, either. But he was still his _brother_ , and he loved his family. “Thank you. Thank you so much. I promise, once things are over… I’ll help him find a way to make it up to you all. He’s really not such a bad person, not in the right environment.”

“He’s lucky to have a brother who cares so much.”

“We’re _both_ lucky to have each other. We’re family, simple as that.”

“I understand that. And you don’t have to worry, Octavo. We won’t be waiting much longer.”

“Huh?”

“We’ve got the support we need to take the castle. We’re ready to prepare- by this week, we’re going to make the announcement.”

“We _are?_ ”

“Yes. I promise you, we’ll help you save your brother- him, and everyone else who’s suffered at Ganondorf’s hands.”

“Thank you… _thank you_.”

Octavo knew himself well enough to know that it would no longer be wise for him to return to the palace. He’d much rather keep himself busy here, in all honesty- he knew Vaati wouldn’t be worried. It would be best for his brother to keep himself occupied with work, so he wouldn’t get caught up in what was about to happen.

And it was easy to throw _himself_ into work, too. While there wasn’t the most Octavo could do, he couldn’t build things or do some of the fancier stuff required, he was a _bard_ \- and _here_ , his music was _appreciated_. He could lift their spirits with his songs, and that was what he intended to do no matter what. The amplifier that Vaati made helped him carry his music better, as well- he would take joy in the smiles on people’s faces, hoping he could help lift everyone’s spirits no matter how dark the times got.

Octavo was determined, a spark lit within his chest that nothing could ever extinguish now. He would fan it into a flame, and soon- _soon_ , it would join with everyone else as they took back their kingdom.

Soon, he believed, they _would_ defeat Ganondorf.


	16. Do You Trust Me?

Ever since what’d happened in the meeting last week, Shadow had been _deeply_ unsettled. Even more than before, he found himself doubting the king- he’d been able to read the room well enough to know that if it hadn’t been Vaati who’d been hit, it would’ve been _him_.

And don’t get him started on _that_ , because he _still_ couldn’t figure out why the inventor had protected him.

Because of all of that, the ruthless captain of the guard had found himself a little bit shaken up. He was loyal- nobody here would _ever_ question his loyalty. But… did he _really_ want to be loyal to a _tyrant?_ To someone who would hurt his own most loyal allies, and not think twice about it?

Was it better here to be loyal, or to betray? Was it really a betrayal, if he was putting himself on the better side of history? And hell- did he actually _care_ , or was this just for his own self-interest? He was a selfish person, he _definitely_ didn’t want to end up like Vaati. For all his rudeness, the man seemed like a punching bag, someone who wouldn’t really… _fight back_.

But Shadow didn’t care about him. He definitely didn’t care, they were barely even acquaintances. That's why he ignored the pit in his stomach as he left the palace, the nagging question in the back of his mind of _what was going to happen_ _...?_

He didn’t know why he’d gone early today. He had his ultimatum- _he had to kill them today_. If he didn’t, he knew that Ganondorf wouldn’t stop at just one hit… Shadow would die, and it would likely be painful.

“Something up?”

He turned his head, surprised to see Vio leaning over where Shadow had chosen to sit down.

“Oh, uh… I guess so.”

“I figured. It looked like something was on your mind.”

“Hah… yeah, something certainly is.”

“Anything you want to talk about?”

“Well… not _really_.” Shadow paused, frowning. He really couldn’t talk about this, not to _Vio_ \- not when he knew he had to _kill_ him. It was to protect his own life, so it was the smartest move… right? “I… have you ever had to make a _really_ hard choice before?”

“Hard? Like… how so?”

“Like… like _life or death_ hard. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.”

“That’s… difficult. I suppose, joining with the rebellion was one…”

“Really? I mean… aren’t you one of the _leaders?_ ”

“I wouldn’t say that. I’m more… brains, and I was helpful to have around.”

“Are you saying you weren’t on board immediately?”

“Well… not really. I was cautious- I wasn’t certain if we’d end up just causing more harm than good.” Vio paused, a soft smile on his face. “Zelda is smart, but… well, my brothers are impulsive. It took me a little while to determine whether I thought this was actually worthwhile.”

“I never would’ve guessed…”

“I just… I had to see for my own eyes. I had to learn what their drive was, what made them _want_ to do this. Once I did, though… I knew they were doing the right thing. I knew I wouldn’t regret helping them.” Vio looked over to Shadow, curiosity behind his smile evident. “What about you? What sort of thing is bothering you so much?”

“Well, I… I made a promise to someone. It was really important, but… if I keep that promise, I’ll be hurting a lot of people. And if I _break_ the promise, I’ll be putting myself in danger…”

“That’s complicated.”

“Is it _ever_.” Shadow sighed, leaning back on his hands. “I don’t know why I got myself into this dumb mess. It’s all because I had to go and make _friends_.”

“Friends to tend to throw a wrench into things, don’t they?”

Vio’s grin held no small amount of amusement, and Shadow felt his face heating up. Without thinking, be punched Vio’s arm- the man just laughed, ruffling up Shadow’s hair. Shadow couldn’t help it- he laughed. He found that it was easy to do that around Vio, for some reason… he felt at peace.

When he thought about _that_ , it just became that much harder to want to kill him.

“Vio… I…” Looking down at his hands, Shadow found himself hesitating. He didn’t know what to do, what to _say-_ what could he do? He didn’t want to _die._ “Hey… what if we just… _left?_ Left the rebellion, left the kingdom- I’m sure we’d do fine on our own. We’re both pretty capable, right? And then we wouldn’t have to worry about _any_ of this shit.”

“I… I can’t do that, Shadow.” Vio shook his head, a distant look on his face. “I can’t just leave my family… and, I want to see this rebellion through. I _believe_ in them, in _us_ … I believe in this cause.”

“But… but Ganondorf will _slaughter_ you! He doesn’t care, he’s _mad_ \- he’d crush you like bugs, and laugh the whole time!”

“We won’t lose. He might be strong, but we are too- and we aren’t alone. We’re _together_.”

“Vio- don’t be _stupid!_ For all you know, someone could be planning to stab you in the back right now— like.. like that bard! He’s related to the royal inventor, isn’t he?”

“Perhaps. But… I choose to believe. I choose to believe that he can understand our cause, that… that maybe, in the time we’ve spent together, he could come to understand _us_. That he could find reason to believe in us.”

“You’re… you’re soft. So soft.”

“Perhaps. But… in a world that doesn’t care, isn’t holding onto kindness something _important?_ ”

Shadow blinked, turning to look at Vio. The other man was completely honest, he could tell by the look on his face- no sarcasm, no lies. Just an honest belief in kindness for the sake of kindness, something Shadow had looked down upon for so long.

“That’s… maybe. Maybe it is, I don’t know.”

The two of them sat in silence for a long time, staring off into the summer night. It was warm, comfortable- goddesses, Shadow felt _comfortable_ , in a way he’d never really felt before.

“Shadow… can I ask you something?”

“Yeah.”

“Why did the captain of the royal guard want to join the rebellion, anyways?”

“What?” In a moment, Shadow’s heart froze. Vio knew- _Vio knew._ He knew who Shadow was, he knew what he was planning- he looked over, expecting to see anger or hatred, to see _anything_ that would make this easier… but instead, the look on his face hadn’t changed a bit. Soft, gentle… perhaps a little sad, but not angry. Never angry. “How did you— how long have you _known?_ ”

“Since about the beginning.”

“Do _all_ of them know?”

“No. I didn’t tell the others.”

“ _Why?_ ”

“Because… because you deserved a fair chance, too. Octavo got one, he was willing to face an immediate death by our hands for a cause he believed in. Even if you only intended to betray us… you deserved a fair chance too.”

“Are you an _idiot?_ You knew I came here to stab you in the backs- _literally-_ and you _still_ wanted to _trust_ me?”

“Yes.”

Shadow was completely taken aback, just staring at Vio. He couldn’t understand this, not in the slightest… it made no sense. Literally no sense.

“But… but _why?_ ”

“Are you _happy_ , Shadow?”

“Am I- huh?” He didn’t know how to respond to the question turned back at him, and he found himself fumbling for a reply. “I-I mean… of _course_ I am. I have station, power, _respect_ …”

“But is that _happiness?_ ”

“That’s…”

“I just… wanted to give you a chance. A chance at a different sort of happiness- one where you didn’t have to be at odds with another person to achieve it.”

“Vio…”

The man stood up, and after a few moments, looked to Shadow. There was a smile on his face, the same sort of smile that made Shadow’s heart pound in a way he couldn’t really understand. He knew his cheeks were hot, he knew that he was feeling flustered, and yet… for once, it didn’t really bother him that much. He was okay with not being okay.

“Shadow… I’m not going to force you to make your choice. It’s up to you. But… _I trust you_.” Holding out a hand, Vio’s smile softened. “So… do you trust me?”


	17. Before Dawn

“If we’re going to move, we need to do it _soon._ ”

Zelda was surprised to see Shadow taking initiative in the meeting, sitting up and engaging. He and Vio had explained the truth about the boy to her and a handful of the others, something that’d come as a bit of a shock- but if Shadow was being open about himself, then that meant Zelda had no reason to distrust him. Not when he’d know how foolish it would be to try to betray them after that.

“Ganondorf is planning to raid the city. He wants to attack- to slaughter _anyone_ who even _looks_ like a rebel.”

“He’d go so far as to kill his own people?” Zelda was concerned- she’d known him a tyrant, but she hadn’t known he’d been _quite_ this bad, even _with_ Octavo’s warning. “Obviously, we can’t allow that to happen. We have to stop him.”

“My men… I’m not certain how many of them will stay loyal to me. But I’m certain that most would sooner defend our people than a king who’d have them slaughter their own friends and family.”

“Shadow… thank you. You’re putting yourself at great risk by doing this, but we wouldn’t be able to make a move this early without you.”

“O-Oh, uh… well, I’m just trying to make myself useful. That’s all.”

Zelda could see the blush on Shadow’s ears, but chose not to bring it up. She’d leave him that little bit of dignity.

“We located a fairy fountain last week, right _here._ ” She pointed to a spot not terribly far from the castle on the map, looking around to ensure that everyone present could see it. “We’re limited on healing resources, but if anyone is seriously injured, take them there.”

“Fairy fountain? Wait, aren’t those just kid’s stories?”

Octavo was the one to speak up, looking confused.

“No- fairy fountains, along with the Great Fairy’s fountain, are definitely real. They’re just _very_ well hidden, is all.”

“I can see that… I never would’ve guessed to look there.”

“Memorize the location, please. I want everyone to do that, so that we can minimize injuries. We’ll likely be going against the king’s automata- they’re going to be difficult to beat.”

“If you give me a chance… I’ll try to talk to my brother. I may be able to get him to disarm them.”

“Octavo…” Zelda had to consider her options on that. On the one hand, it would be _very_ useful- but on the other, she knew that was putting Vaati in even more danger. And after she said she’d do what she could to help protect the man… could she really agree to that on good conscience? “If you’re able to reach him and persuade him, then I won’t stop you. But I don’t think you’ll have time prior to our infiltration- and you know the palace well. We’re going to be relying on you to lead one of our parties.”

“H-Huh?”

“You, Shadow, and Blue are going to be the infiltration squad leaders. You’re the three with the best knowledge of the area. Shadow- you’re going to connect with your men and determine who’s loyal. From there, your job will be to deal with the automata and prevent them from heading out into town.”

Shadow just nodded, leaning back in his seat.

“Blue- you’re going to head back to the armories and destroy all of their weapons. Take all the remote bombs we have, and _blow them to kingdom come._ ”

“My _pleasure_ , Z.”

“Finally, Octavo. You’re going to be leading me, Green, and the rest of our squad. We’re going to clear anyone still stuck in the castle, and take Ganondorf- are you alright with that?”

“M-Me? You really… _Me?_ ”

“You don’t need to fight, we’d never put that on you. But we’re going to need someone to show us through, and you’re familiar with the area.”

“Th-That’s… I mean… if you’re _certain_ , then…. Then okay.”

Though he was clearly still nervous, there was determination on Octavo’s face- a determination that told Zelda she could definitely put her trust in him. Her intuition was never wrong, after all.

“We should move in tomorrow. We’ll spend the morning in preparation, then storm the castle in the afternoon. We have no time to waste- we _cannot afford_ to lose. We are going to free this kingdom, _together!_ ”

Cheers erupted from the room, and Zelda could feel herself growing proud for a moment. Tomorrow- tomorrow, they would finally see their plans come to fruition. They would finally be able to free this kingdom of the scourge upon it, finally return a _light_ to Hyrule.

Together, she was certain, they could do it.


	18. Final Resolve

The day had arrived.

Vaati had been able to sense it in the air- there was a tension that sat almost electric within the city, and it carried into the castle. The people who were there were all on edge, and although Vaati tried to not let it get to him, he could admit that he found himself a little unsettled as well.

Today, he was certain. Today there would be a revolution. Today the people would rise up, and either claim this kingdom for themselves, or die trying.

“Vaati- we’re leaving.” He was shocked to see Ghirahim and Zant approach him without Ganondorf, both already wearing thick hoods to hide their faces. He hadn't taken either of them for traitors... although, it was hardly like he knew them. They were hardly even acquainted. “If we stay, we’ll most certainly be killed as well.”

“I’ll admit, I’m a little surprised you would leave.”

“Ganondorf had our loyalty, but not to this extent. He’s lost his mind.” Zant’s words were true, and Vaati supposed he couldn’t blame the both of them for wishing to save their own skins. If they left now, they had a _chance_ at survival- assuming the revolution succeeded, of course. “You could join.”

“Unfortunately, I cannot.”

“Do you really pledge loyalty to him until the end?”

“Oh, of course not. However…” Vaati paused. For just a moment, his face looked uncertain, but if you blinked then you’d surely miss it. “however, I have something I must attend to still. I’m the sort of man who follows through on the things he sets out to do.”

“Very well. Goodbye, then.”

“Goodbye.”

He didn’t much care for either of them, so he wasn’t terribly torn up about whether or not he’d see them again. They were both irritations at _best_ , honestly… Vaati couldn’t care less. Whatever happened to them now was no longer of his concern.

No, his focus was on much more _important_ things.

Entering the throne room, Vaati bowed deeply to Ganondorf. He was still seated upon his throne, but the look on his face showed that he could sense it as well- and he knew everyone had left. That the only ones still loyal were the automata bound to the king, even his Guardsmen had betrayed him by now.

“I’m shocked that _you_ would remain, Vaati.”

“I still had a job to do, your majesty.”

“Oh, _do you?_ Then, come along with me. I’m leaving now, I don’t have any plans on getting caught. I’ll escape and plan my vengeance, and then return with the power to destroy _all_ of these _fools_.”

“A power, your majesty?”

“Yes… of the _demon god_. Have you heard of Demise, Vaati?”

“No, I have not.”

“He gives me strength, he whispers to me _knowledge_. Once I fully awaken him, I will be _unstoppable._ ”

“I see.”

“Now, follow me.”

“I’m afraid I cannot do that, your majesty.”

The king turned to look as Vaati drew his blade, pointing it at the king.

“ _Et tu,_ Vaati? You would turn against me as well?”

“You are no longer useful to me. Your station will not give me what I desire, so I see no reason to pledge loyalty.”

“ _Hah!_ Oh, _bold words_ from a _dog!_ ” Ganondorf laughed, drawing his own sword. “I always did love that _attitude_ \- I’ll enjoy wiping it from your face! Now _die!_ ”

Vaati didn’t respond as the king leaped forwards, instead making his best attempt to dodge aside. He knew that realistically, he had no chance of winning- he was _not_ a fighter. The king had trained in the blade, he knew what he was doing… Vaati, on the other hand, was completely unskilled.

However, that didn’t matter when his goal wasn’t to _win-_ it was simply to delay the king’s escape until the rebels arrived, when _they_ could deal with him.

As such, Vaati’s main aim was to dodge. Ganondorf was too enraged to realize exactly what Vaati was doing, which worked to the smaller man’s advantage. He had yet to land a hit, but he could make the effort to- it only earned Ganondorf’s taunting, but he’d ignore that.

Over and over, their blades clashed. Finally, Ganondorf had him pinned- Vaati was struggling to press against Ganondorf’s weight, trying and failing to support himself. He’d been forced down to one knee, trying to just keep himself _alive_ … until he had the time to press the button on the hilt, activating the magitechnology he’d built into the sword.

In an instant, there was a sudden gust of wind- it was strong enough to knock Ganondorf back across the hall, skidding on his back. It was something Vaati had been working on for quite some time, and he was rather proud to see it in action.

His inventions were _always_ perfect, after all.

Running over, Vaati was about to attempt a good solid blow on the king- but before he could do anything, his feet were swept out from under him.

He grunted as he hit the floor, but wasn’t given any time to recover. Ganondorf had too much energy, too much _power-_ he picked Vaati up by the collar and threw him hard at a wall, the man shouting as the wind was knocked out of him and his sword flying out of his grip.

“You little _bastard_ … now, how should I make you _suffer?_ ”

Vaati only glared as the king put one hand around his throat, lifting him from the ground as he began to squeeze. He had his pride, he would _never_ beg- but goddesses, it was getting hard to breathe. Each inhalation came as a wheeze, and he was definitely going to get light-headed at this rate…

“Oh, I know. Here’s a good start.”

He felt Ganondorf grip onto one of his earrings, and with one quick jerk, ripped it out. Vaati screamed in pain, tears welling up- he could feel blood dripping from his ear immediately, and he couldn’t even regain his breath to recover.

“You should’ve known better than to betray me. Your death will be _painful_. Your screams will fill this palace, and become the chorus that summons Demise.”

“B-But… you will…. _lose_ ……”

He watched as Ganondorf’s eyes narrowed at his words, before widening once again- it seemed as though he’d realized Vaati’s intentions for fighting, and the fury on his face was indescribable.

“You _wretched little shit…_ ” He wasted no time in plunging his sword between Vaati’s ribs, a scream tearing from the man’s throat as Ganondorf twisted it in further. “I don’t have time to _deal with you_ , then. But remember me as you _die_. And trust me, _I will meet you again in hell_.”

“I’ll… be waiting. _Your majesty._ ”

Vaati grunted as Ganondorf pulled the sword back out, dropping Vaati’s body to the floor. Finally, he could breathe again- he watched as the betrayed king turned to flee down the secret corridor, gasping for air.

Straining to hear over the sound of his own blood rushing through his ears, he forced himself to use his magic to _listen_ \- the rebels were congregating. They would be here soon.

Casually, Vaati forced himself to sit up a little more, pushing himself against the wall to better support his own weight. The bloom of red on his chest couldn’t be ignored, but it could be _hidden_ \- his cape did a good enough job of that.

_Hurry,_ he found himself thinking. _Hurry, before it’s too late._

Strangely enough, that too late wasn’t for himself- he’d accepted that he was going to die. It was painful, dreadfully so- but perhaps that was how he could make up for his sins. No, he only wished for the rebels to arrive before Ganondorf got away… before Demise could arrive, and bring ruin to _everything_.

_Please, goddesses. If you’re watching, if you care at all… ensure that they stop him._


	19. Reunion

“This way.” Octavo led his squadron through the castle, a little shocked at how quiet it was. He’d never seen it like this before, and was more than a bit unsettled- there was… very few people to fight. So few in fact, that before they could reach the throne room, they were stopped by Shadow.

The royal guard had been more loyal to their captain than their king, a fact that had clearly brought the young captain pride. He’d taken to commanding them with ease, there was little surprise that he’d once been the most skilled and trusted royal guardsman of them all- he had talent, nobody could deny him that.

Upon entering the throne room, Octavo found anxiety building in his chest. They had yet to run into Vaati, he’d been trying to keep his eyes open without distracting from the plan- but here he was, and… oh _goddesses_ , there was _so much blood…_

“It.. looks worse than it truly is.” His brother’s voice was weak, face partially hidden from view by his hair. It was clear he was hiding more than just that by the way he was seated, but he left no time for argument. “He went that way, through the passage. He intends to raise some sort of demon god, something to give him _power_.”

“What the… what the hell?” It was Shadow who spoke, standing over Vaati with a confused look on his face. “Why did you do this? What happened?”

“I merely… decided it was about time to pick a side. I believe the one I chose… had a better chance of winning.” There was a long bout of silence, followed by Vaati scoffing. “Every moment you waste here is a moment he gets closer to raising a demon to _destroy Hyrule._ Time is of the essence. _Go._ ”

“Very well. C’mon, we’re leaving.”

“No, I’m— I’ll stay here.” Octavo cut in, already crouching beside his brother. “I won’t be any use against Ganondorf, anyways. I’ll stay with Vaati.”

“Fine. We’ll leave him to you.”

“….Thank you.”

No further words were spoken as Shadow, Zelda, and Green ran down the passage. Rather, Octavo turned to face his brother- it was clear that Vaati was struggling to stay upright, and Octavo moved quickly to help him sit.

“ _What happened to you?_ ”

“I fought him.”

“But you’re an _inventor_. You don’t fight…”

“And neither does a bard. Yet here you are…”

“Brother- I need to get you help, you’re bleeding out…”

“Oh, _please_. It’s just a flesh wound.”

_“Vaati!_ ” Octavo couldn’t stop himself from shouting. Without thinking, he moved- he ripped a long strip of fabric from his brother’s cape (ignoring his protests), and pressed it against where the bleeding was coming from. “Hold this here. I’m going to get you to help.”

“What’re you- _gghuugh…”_

He ignored Vaati’s groans of pain as he lifted his brother, taking off at a run for the fairy fountain.

_Please, please, **please.**_ _Please live._


	20. Say Farewell to a Friend

Vaati groaned as Octavo picked him up, weakly gripping onto the torn up bit of cloth his brother had pressed onto his wound.

“Ggh… did you have to use the _cape?_ I was fond of that…”

“Are you _serious?_ Do you really have the time to _complain_ now, Vivi?”

“Heh… I always have the time to… complain.”

He laughed in an effort to hide the pain, trying desperately to keep it from showing in his voice. He knew he was going to die, he’d accepted that; but he didn’t want to make it any harder than it already was for Octavo. And… despite how he’d accepted his death, he couldn’t bring himself to tell Octavo to just stop. Perhaps he wasn’t as ready to die as he’d thought, then.

“You’re such an idiot, Vivi… _stupid. Stupid little brother._ ”

“We’re… _twins_ … we’re the _same age…_ ”

“I was born first. You’re my little brother.”

“Stubborn…”

“ _You’re_ the stubborn one, Vivi. So please, just _hold on a little longer_ …”

“’Tavo… I’m… I’m sorry…”

“No, Don’t apologize. I don’t want to hear it.”

“I wasn’t… a terribly good little brother… was I?”

“ _Stop apologizing._ You’ll have plenty of time to do that once you’re _healed_.”

“I’ve been… terribly cold… I haven’t been… kind….”

“ _Stop that!_ ”

Vaati winced a little as Octavo shouted, seeing the tears welling up in his brother’s eyes. He wanted to reassure him that things would be okay, to wipe the tears away- but he found that he couldn’t. It was taking all his energy just to keep his grip on the fabric in his hands, his body feeling heavier by the moment.

He didn’t know where this fairy fountain was, but Octavo seemed to be insistent on running. They’d left the palace and headed away from the town, instead heading for some cliffs- if it was around here, he hoped there’d be no climbing involved. He knew he wouldn’t be able to do that, and he didn’t want his brother to feel as though his efforts had been in vain.

“I’m glad… though… that you’re… alive……”

“You’re going to live too. You _are_.”

“I knew… you’d be alright…… you’re strong, ‘Tavo…”

“You are too. I promise. You are too.”

“I’m… tired, though…”

“ _Don’t go to sleep. Please, don’t go to sleep_.”

“Mmh… okay… I won’t…”

Try as he might though, it was getting harder and harder to keep his eyes open. His hand had already slipped open- the effort to hold onto the fabric was too much. With each blink, his eyes struggled harder to stay open- goddesses, he was so _tired…_

“Just keep talking. Please. About anything, I don’t care _what it is_. Just _talk to me, please._ ”

“I wish… I could’ve… heard you play again…” Vaati forced a smile onto his face, trying to not let on that his vision was beginning to fail. Even though his eyes were open, Octavo’s face was growing blurry- he wondered if he’d lose his hearing before he died, too. “You were… very good at it…”

“You’ll hear me plenty more times. I _promise_ , Vivi. I promise. So don’t die, we’re _almost there…_ ”

“I’m glad… we were… brothers……”

“Vivi, me too, so _don’t die!_ Please don't... _I don't want to be alone, Vaati..._ ”

“I’m… tired, ‘Tavo… I’m really tired…” He couldn’t see any longer, but he could hear Octavo crying. He felt guilty, but there was nothing he could do about it now- he couldn’t even see his brother’s face. “I’m sorry… for leaving... you.... behind.... ‘Tavo… I was… a bad brother…”

“ _You weren’t. We’re here now, Vivi. You’ll live. You’re going to live. I promise, so please just hold on for a **few more moments…**_ ”

“Thank you… ‘Tavo…… I’m… gonna sleep, now…”

“ _Vivi!_ ”

But if something more happened after that, Vaati wasn’t aware- he couldn’t feel anything anymore, and his hearing was distant and echoed.

Weakly, he tried to respond once more. He tried to open his eyes, to say something, to apologize to his brother, but he didn’t have the energy. All that awaited him now was darkness, a comforting black blanket that waited to usher him into the nothingness beyond.

_I’m sorry, ‘Tavo… goodbye……_


	21. The Clock isn't Set to Last

Zelda pressed forward behind Shadow and Green through the hidden passageway, the three of them at a dead sprint. The tunnels were winding and long, but it was a single path- and eventually it took them to a clearing, where Ganondorf was standing.

“So, the rebels arrive.”

“Your time is _up_ , Ganondorf! You _won’t_ get away from us!”

“Oh, _Shadow_. So lovely to see another traitor, ready to die.”

“I _won’t_ forgive you for what you did to Vaati.”

“ _Please_ , like you ever even _liked_ him.”

“Oh, I definitely _didn’t-_ but I like him more than I like _you!_ ”

“So pathetically soft… it’s embarrassing. I can’t believe I picked _you_ to be my captain.”

“I’m not _soft_ \- I just found something I wanted to fight for!”

Zelda could see the tips of Shadow’s ears go pink- his embarrassment was short-lived though, quickly brushed off as he regained his focus.

Now was no longer the time to talk, it was time to _fight_. Green and Shadow moved together, dodging and weaving about the king. While it was clear that he was skilled, and he had a raw power that neither of the boys possessed- he was only one person, and they were two.

It felt like an eternity, but _finally_ they had him down- seeing her chance, Zelda moved to strike. Her own magic, her own power that she’d spent years training- the power of light radiated from her hands- shooting forth and striking Ganondorf.

“ _Now, evil that would destroy this land! Begone!_ ”

It was a spell to seal evil, to cast it away and destroy it in a realm separate of their own. One that she’d believed would likely bring Ganondorf’s end… but instead he lay before them, unconscious. She’d seen… _something_ dissipate from the man, and she found herself wondering if that was the demon god that Vaati had spoken of.

“Zelda!”

She hadn’t even realized that she’d grown faint, but Green was there in time to steady her. Shadow’s eyes never left Ganondorf, glaring the whole while- Zelda figured she could trust him to keep watch, and allowed herself to melt into Green’s arms.

“I’m fine, Green. I promise.”

“Are you _sure?_ ”

“Yes. I’m just tired- that took a lot out of me.”

“Well… if you’re certain. But don’t force yourself, alright?”

“I swear, I won’t.”

“Good.” Green smiled, and Zelda could feel her heart lighten. “Now… we should go back into the palace. And bring _him_ along, too… we’ll have to figure out what to do about him.”

“Yes… yes, I suppose we shall.”

“Hey… don’t look so worried, okay Zel? We did it… _we won!_ ”

She couldn’t keep a smile off her face as Green squeezed her shoulder, leaning into him. Yes, they _had_ won. Finally- _finally,_ Hyrule could be happy again.

* * *

Back within the throne room, Zelda waited as everyone regrouped. Vio and Shadow were off talking together, while Blue, Red, and Green were all deep in discussion. Various other groups were in the midst of talking as well, everybody uncertain of what to do next… but Zelda had found herself distracted by two people- or rather, the _lack_ of two people. It was clear that Octavo had moved Vaati, likely trying to reach the fairy fountain… but judging by his injuries, she wasn’t certain if even _they_ would be able to heal him enough. No, he’d likely need a great fairy if he wanted to _survive_ … but first, she’d need to pray that Octavo could reach the fountain in time. The fairies there would at least be able to offer a temporary solution, one that would keep Vaati stabilized long enough to make the trek out to the Great Fairy.

It was in the midst of celebration that everyone went silent- Ganondorf had been quite thoroughly bound and was being watched by basically every one of the royal guards, and he had just woken up.

“Where…?”

“So, you’ve come to.”

“What’s going on?” Zelda could see it- the look on his face was different. That confusion was genuine, along with what appeared to be a rather painful looking headache from how he was wincing. “No, I… that’s… _oh goddess…_ ”

“Do you remember now?”

“I… I do. I think I… I have done _horrible_ things, haven’t I?”

“Yes. Yes you have.”

She watched as Ganondorf’s eyes flitted over to the bloodstains on the wall, but his attempts to locate Vaati were to no avail.

She’d figured out much, in the time it’d taken to return to the throne room. She could thank her insight for that, a gift she’d always seemed to have- five years ago, the time that the people had started to notice the king’s _change_ , he had come into contact with a sort of demon. Slowly, it had began to possess him… the process had been so slow that even _he_ had been unaware of it.

Truly, she _was_ glad that they’d managed to stop him before it’d been too late. But that didn’t excuse the actions he’d taken, something that the man did seem to understand.

“I… I don’t think It possible to make up for my mistakes. But… I hope you’ll give me chance.”

Zelda nodded- it would be unlike her to deny him that, most certainly.

“And… do you… do you know where _he_ is?”

“Vaati? I… have not seen him, no.”

“I see…” There was regret on Ganondorf’s face, an emotion the man seemed to be struggling with. “I suppose… I’ll have to wait and see, then.”

Nodding, Zelda turned away. While the king would not be leaving the palace any time soon, She gathered her companions- she couldn’t rest until she knew what’d happened.

“We’re going after them.”

“Of course.” Green nodded, looking to his brothers and Shadow. “Things will be alright here, now.”

“Mmh.”

Hopefully, they wouldn’t be too late.


	22. Gentle Melodies

“ _Vivi!_ ”

Octavo practically tripped into the waters of the fairy fountain, exhaustion hitting him the second he fell in. The only reason he wasn’t stuck face-down in the water was the water itself, the warm spring bringing enough energy back to his exhausted body to roll himself over to his back.

His eyes were only half-open, but he could see the fairies flying around his brother’s body. He didn’t know if he’d made it in time or not, but he could only pray at this point… tears continued to fall freely from his eyes as he stared up at the ceiling of the fountain.

Vaati- why did he have to keep _apologizing?_ Octavo would accept those when he woke up again, _damnit!_ He didn’t want this, he didn’t want his brother to _die-_ yeah, they had arguments, but what siblings _didn’t?_ At the end of the day, he knew that Vaati _cared-_ in his own Vaati way where he was terrible at expressing things, Vaati had cared. Octavo knew his brother well enough to know how to read those things, even if he _had_ changed.

“Damnit… _damnit…_ ”

When he finally managed to prop himself up to seated position, he ended up just putting his head in his hands. He didn’t bother trying to stop himself from crying, unable to bring himself to look at Vaati’s body. He was scared- too scared to check if his brother was breathing or not. Too scared to find out whether or not he’d been too late.

“Vivi… I’m sorry too, I’m _so sorry…_ ”

He didn’t even know what he was apologizing for, but he still felt the need to do it. He just needed to say _something_ \- something to get these horrible feelings out, to figure out how to mourn the life of his brother who may have just died in his arms.

“I didn’t… I wasn’t there to help you, I should’ve known you’d do something _stupid_ … you’re such an _idiot! So stupid, stupid Vivi!_ ” Octavo’s voice caught, and he tried his best to steady himself again. “I don’t… I don’t want to be alone… I don’t want you to be dead. You were all I had left, my only family… we’re brothers, Vivi. We were supposed to _support_ each other.”

He heard the sounds of people entering the fountain, but he didn’t look away- he could hardly even open his eyes for how hard he was sobbing.

“I’m _sorry_ , Vivi… _I’m so sorry I wasn’t fast enough…_ ” Weakly, Octavo moved to grab his brother’s body, cradling it in his arms. “Will you ever forgive me, Vivi? _I’m sorry…_ I don’t… we only had each other… I don’t know what to _do_ , Vaati…”

“Mmh… You’d best not be thinking of anything _stupid_ , ‘Tavo…”

“ _Vivi?!_ ”

Octavo’s eyes shot wide open, able to watch as Vaati slowly came to consciousness. Crying again, but this time from joy, Octavo squeezed his brother tightly.

“ _Vivi! You’re alive!_ ”

“Ggh--! Not for much longer, if you keep squeezing me like that!”

“You’re complaining… you really _are_ alive!”

Vaati scoffed, and Octavo just laughed- after a few moments Vaati hugged back. He could tell his brother was shaking from the way his hands trembled, although it didn’t seem to show elsewhere.

“I am… I’m sorry I worried you, Octavo.”

“You’re too stubborn to die. I knew you’d live.”

“Your tears would argue that…”

“Th-That’s— how long were you _awake?_ ”

“From… about the start of when you started talking. Your voice carries well, ‘Tavo.”

“Vivi, you _jerk--!_ ”

“In my defense, I’m still having a little trouble moving. I don’t think that healing, magical as it was, fixed everything.”

“I doubt it did.” It was Zelda who spoke up, cutting into the conversation. Octavo had managed to immediately forget about her presence, and jumped a tad when he heard her voice. “We’ll have to bring you to a great fairy. There’s one near enough to here… do you think you can walk?”

“Unlikely.”

“I’ll carry y-“

“No, Octavo. You just about died yourself.” For someone who was still clinging to him in an attempt to remain upright, Vaati was certainly _acting_ back to his usual self. Octavo imagined it was because he’d realized they had an _audience_ \- his brother had never done well in front of people. “You should remain here.”

“Like _hell_ I will. Even if you won’t let me carry you, I’m not leaving you alone.”

“I’ll go, then. I can carry you.” Shadow spoke up, looking to the others. “Just tell me where the fountain is, I’ll get them there. You guys have more things to clean up at the castle, right?”

“Oh yeah… how did that go?”

“Don’t worry, we took care of everything. The kingdom will be safe now.”

“Thank the goddesses…” Octavo smiled, looking at Vaati. His brother had fallen asleep, his face looking actually _peaceful_ for once… if it weren’t for the fact that he was half-dead, Octavo would’ve enjoyed the moment far more. “Let’s get moving, then. I don’t want to waste any time.”

* * *

It was about halfway through their journey that Vaati woke up again. It was clear he was in pain, grimacing as he looked up to see Shadow- but Octavo was just happy enough to see his brother _conscious_.

“I’m flattered… the captain of the guards himself, carrying me.”

“Would you rather I _drop_ you?”

“Heh… for now, that answer will be a no.”

Octavo could absolutely believe that the first thing his brother would do upon regaining consciousness was antagonize the person who was helping save his life, but that didn’t make him any less exasperated.

“Vivi, _please_.”

“I’m just making conversation, Octavo. Passes the time.”

“ _Vivi._ ”

“Would you rather I moan and groan the whole way, complaining about the pain? Trust me, I certainly _could_.”

Octavo just rolled his eyes- goddesses, his brother was _so_ immature sometimes. For someone who proclaimed himself to be a genius, he certainly was an idiot… although, to be fair, Octavo didn’t mind terribly. At the very least, it made things amusing.

“Why did you do it, Vaati?” Shadow spoke up before Octavo was able to think of a proper retort, his voice soft. “Why’d you fight him, anways?”

“Because, he was going to escape.”

“Yeah, but… you had no real stake in this. You didn’t have to fight him, why did you _care?_ ”

“I…” There was a pause, and it seemed as though Vaati was carefully considering his words. “Like I said before… I felt it time I took a side. And… it became clear to me that the rebellion was worth actively siding myself with, not just quietly supporting.”

“How so?”

“They won _you_ over, did they not? Even the ruthless, bloodthirsty captain of the guard…”

“That’s…” Octavo could’ve sworn he saw a hint of a blush on Shadow’s face, but he blinked and it was gone. That’d probably just been exhaustion. “I guess so, yeah. They’re a persuasive bunch.”

“And… besides. I knew… I knew if I didn’t do something at that time, if I merely let him escape, and ran to save myself… I wouldn’t forgive myself.”

“Vivi…” Octavo looked over to his brother, whose face was currently hiding behind his hair. “You’ve grown up a lot.”

“As have you, Octavo.”

“I’m proud of you. My little bro, all grown up now…”

“ _We. Are. The. Same. Age._ ”

Octavo just laughed, attention getting pulled from the conversation when Shadow signified that they had arrived at the Great Fairy’s fountain. Entering it was easy, and Vaati didn’t protest as He was set down within the fountain’s waters… but after waiting a moment, nothing happened.

“You’ve gotta call her. She responds to music, right?”

“Oh, of course.”

Octavo nodded, recognizing that as being his cue. He didn’t have his instruments on him, but he would always have his voice- gently he hummed an old tune, one he could recall from when he and Vaati were children. It was a happy memory, a happy song… he could see a weak smile on his brother’s face as well.

_“You called, Child?”_

The Great Fairy responded after a few moments, and Octavo rushed forwards with a bow of his head.

“Yes- _please,_ heal my brother!”

_“Oh my… he’s been horribly injured.”_

“He tried to stop the king from escaping- he almost died in the time it took me to get him to a fairy fountain… _please!_ Don’t let him die…”

_“Your love for your family is honest… you have a good heart. Worry not, child. He shall be fine.”_

The relief that flooded Octavo at those words was instantaneous, tears springing forth yet again. A light seemed to gather around Vaati, and a similar one around him and Shadow- his exhaustion was gone in a moment, and he felt better rested than he had in a very long time.

Even Vaati seemed significantly better, the colour returning to his skin and the light returned to his eye. He seemed to speak words to the Great Fairy, ones that only the two of them could hear… she merely laughed, cupping his cheek as she nodded her head.

When the three of them were finally left alone in the fountain, it took Vaati a few moments before he stood to join the other two. Octavo found himself quite anxious and unsure of what to say or do… what _should_ he say? After all, Vaati had nearly _died_ … he was still in shock, most likely.

“Well!” Vaati was the one who decided to speak first, looking down at himself. “I look rather terrible, so I’d like to return to the palace to get myself a change of clothes. Blood doesn’t suit my looks, and my poor cape…”

“I’m not apologizing for ruining it, Vaati.”

“I didn’t expect you to. But you can pay the bill for the replacement.”

“I bet you’ve got a dozen more just like it, don’t you?”

“….only a _half-_ dozen.”

Octavo just laughed, finally rushing up to pull his brother into a tight hug. He was alive, truly _alive_ … more than anything, Octavo simply felt _grateful_. Grateful that perhaps now, after all this time, things could finally make a change for the better.


	23. The Strength in Kindness

Upon return to the palace, Vaati felt himself get… a little _stiff_. He’d quickly run to his workshop, grabbing the spare clothes he kept there. That had earned him a sigh from his brother, but he ignored it. Why bother going all the way to his room to get changed, when he could just live from his workshop? Honestly, it was so much more _convenient_.

A new set of clothes and the blood washed off the best he could manage in a short time, Vaati felt more prepared to return to where the rebellion had congregated. He could feel himself freeze up when his eyes set on Ganondorf- the man’s hands were bound and he was under heavy guard, but his face… he no longer had the madness in his eyes that’d haunted him for a while now.

Well, he supposed he could trust the leaders of the rebellion. If they hadn’t killed him, they likely had good reason.

“Vaati? Oh- you’re _alive?_ ”

“Yes, no thanks to _you_.”

“A-Ah… yes.” There was an awkwardness about the king that Vaati wasn’t used to, which made the man seem far less intimidating than he’d been when on the throne. Perhaps it was the simple knowledge that he no longer had _power_ \- that could do a lot to humble a man. “I am glad you lived. Truly, I am.”

“Yes… it would seem I am a hard one to kill.”

As things moved to a close on the day, everything seemed to begin to get sorted out. There had been no contest to deciding who their new leader would be, a rather unanimous vote choosing Zelda. The woman seemed a little surprised, but honored; and Vaati imagined that if she’d led the rebellion then she’d be a fine enough Queen.

Ganondorf’s ‘change of heart’ felt a little difficult for Vaati to believe, at least at first. Perhaps his own judgement was clouded from having worked alongside the man so long… it certainly was difficult to separate what he remembered from what he was seeing now.

But, he mused to himself, if _he_ was to be given another chance, why not Ganondorf?

Vaati certainly hadn’t been pushing for his own pardon. He knew full well the trouble he’d caused, and admitted to it without hesitation. Zelda seemed a little shocked to discover the truth about their _benefactor_ , confused to learn the details… but Vaati had no reason to lie, and she knew that. Certainly not when much of what he told her wasn’t exactly intended to paint him in a favorable light.

And yet, despite that, he’d not been cast into a dungeon or exiled from the kingdom. Instead, to his own shock, he’d been asked to stay and work- this time, to create inventions to aid _everyone_ in Hyrule. So long as he had his work, Vaati supposed it didn’t really matter _what_ he was creating… so naturally, he accepted the challenge with a grin.

Alongside his own work, he took great joy in the occasional moments spent spying in on Vio and Shadow- it was rather cute to watch the captain of the guards get so flustered around another, after all. He’d respect them their privacy, it wasn’t like he was _trying_ to watch- but it wasn’t _his_ fault they enjoyed taking strolls outside the palace, often passing below his workshop’s window.

Most notable to Vaati though, was Octavo’s improved mood. His brother was actually rather happy, able to play to a people who _cared_ \- it was clear he’d made many friends during his time in the rebellion, something Vaati was glad for.

While he was not much of a people person, he never would be, he knew that Octavo was far more of an extrovert- honestly, the two of them were _nothing_ alike. Completely and utterly different… but as much as he told himself that, he knew it wasn’t entirely true. And he was glad for that fact, because even with all of his stubbornness, he was happy to have a brother.

His own path would be complicated and messy, he knew. He hardly expected anyone to forgive him for the trouble he’d caused, and he wouldn’t ever ask for that. Forgiveness was not something he’d even come close to earning, although he found himself surprised that he cared.

In the end, he’d find his own way to make it up to his people. His inventions would see more use, _help more people_ … perhaps it wasn’t in the way he’d expected, but it was still a way for him to accomplish his goals.

Whether or not he would be the best inventor the kingdom had ever known, he couldn’t truly say. That likely wasn’t something that would be decided until long after he died, when history looked upon him.

But… if he could at least make some difference, make the world a little _softer_ , a little _kinder_ … perhaps that wasn’t so bad either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with that, this project comes to a close! Thank you so much to everyone who's read this, I had so much fun writing this fic and I am so glad that other people have been enjoying it as well. I want to give another shout out to luckystarman again, thank you for helping me work out a lot of the ideas in this!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading, and until next time!


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